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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Remote regency needs teachers
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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Prabowo defends self/TNI over IRJA etc
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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Wahid faces west papuan dilemma (2 articles)
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Subj: RT: Rio Tinto's human rights record attacked at shareholder's meeting
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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN} request:Fwd: hospitals
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Subj: RT: Analysis: Risk of Freeport Indonesia Mine Suspension Low
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Subj: Nauru supports calls for self-rule in West Papua
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Subj: RT: Freeport unaware of Irian mining halt plan
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Copyright 2000, Journal Issues
Date: 5/12/00 9:43:28 AM Central Daylight Time
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The Jakarta Post.com
Across the Archipelago
May 12, 2000
Remote regency needs teachers
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Puncak Jaya regency needs at least 364 new
teachers for 77 elementary schools, a local official said on
Thursday.
Regent Andreas Philipus Coem said in Jayapura, that all of the
schools in the remote regency lacked teachers. Even, he said, in
some schools only one teacher was available for students from all
the six grades.
He said the number of migrant teachers leaving the regency continued
to increase due to local security concerns.
To cope with the teacher shortage, Andreas said he had asked the
state Cendrawasih University to train 100 local students to fill the
demand.
"The students are senior high school graduates," Andreas said. (eba)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/11/00 1:19:17 AM Central Daylight Time
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Straits Times [Singapore]
May 10, 2000
Get proof before you accuse TNI, says Prabowo
Unrest In Indonesia
By Susan Sim And Devi Asmarani In Jakarta
INDONESIAN soldiers are certainly capable of fomenting unrest in the
country, but get proof first before hurling accusations at them,
retired Lt-General Prabowo Subianto, said yesterday.
In his first press conference here since leaving Indonesia under a
cloud two years ago, the Suharto son-in-law remained protective of
the military that cashiered him for kidnapping student activists in
a bid to stop anti-Suharto demonstrations.
"Yes, we are capable" of creating unrest, he said when asked about
President Abdurrahman Wahid's constant warnings of conspiracies by
military personnel.
Anybody is, he said, it is just a question of motivation.
What should Gus Dur do to find the conspirators?
Set up a professional intelligence service uncontrolled by vested
interests to conduct a sophisticated investigation, he advised.
The former rising star, who slipped on the ashes of riots which
brought down former President Suharto two years ago, had called the
press conference to refute accusations by Mr Abdurrahman the
previous night that he was involved in the massacre of 100 people in
Irian Jaya.
But he found himself defending not just his record but the recent
history of the Indonesian Defence Force (TNI) as well.
No, the President has been fed wrong information about his
activities in Irian Jaya because he had worked there only twice, in
late 1982 for two weeks, and during a special forces operation to
free hostages held by separatist rebels in 1996.
Yes, soldiers must never hurt civilians because, even in places like
Aceh, East Timor and Irian Jaya, no rebel movement can be defeated
without winning the hearts of the people first.
No, the TNI never wanted to be in politics.
"My generation and following generations have gradually tried to
exit the Indonesian political scene," he vouched.
It was "absurd" to accuse him of trying to mount a coup in the
aftermath of Mr Suharto's resignation when he was in fact trying to
safeguard the new President.
He was a patriot, he insisted, concerned now about the possibility
of national disintegration brought about by ethnic and religious
forces. But since his military career had "come to a dead end", he
was now trying to be a good businessman instead.
NO HOLDS BARRED: The views
On Gus Dur and his accusations:
'I still respect Gus Dur and I pray that he has the strength and
health to lead our country out of this crisis. But he needs to
filter the information he receives. There is much misinformation
going on that only benefit certain political groups.'
On his father-in-law, Mr Suharto:
'We have to respect our nation's former leaders for their
achievements. Let's focus on the future and getting out of this
crisis instead of spending our energy on revenge. My personal views
on many issues actually differed from those of Mr Suharto, and at
times I think he was also getting wrong information about me. But I
am an Indonesian, and I respect my seniors. Plus, he headed the
country for 32 years, and surely not all that he did was bad.'
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/11/00 1:13:14 AM Central Daylight Time
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MSNBC
Wahid stresses need for rule of law in armed forces
REUTERS
BANGKOK, May 10
Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid said on Wednesday the armed
forces should be respected as an institution but he reiterated that
individuals who make mistakes in power need to be punished.
He stressed the need for the rule of law in a democracy.
''We should not give judgment in a general way, but in a concrete
individual way according to the law,'' he said in a speech at
Bangkok's Thammasat University after receiving an honorary doctorate
in law.
Wahid said he had told an officers' graduation in Indonesia several
months ago of the need to respect the armed forces as an
institution.
''But we should not be afraid of giving sentences to those
individuals who are making mistakes when they were in power.
''I believe this attitude is the way law is established.''
Wahid was apparently referring to officers like Indonesia's top
security minister General Wiranto, who has been suspended pending
the outcome of investigations into his role in bloodshed surrounding
last year vote for independence in East Timor.
Wahid said that in a democracy it was not always easy to
differentiate between what one believed and what happened
politically.
Dilemma Over Free Papua
He said this had been shown by a request by separatists in the
easternmost Indonesian province of Irian Jaya for him to open a
forthcoming congress at which independence will be discussed.
''I said to them freedom of expression means they can say whatever
they want, including freedom from Indonesia, but once they organise
themselves to act...they will be against me,'' he said.
''That leaves the question of whether I should open their congress
or not. Our intelligence people say that would mean recognition of
Free Papua, but people in Papua who are trying to have freedom say,
'please come to show you are a democrat'.
''Of course, I won't tell you what decision I will make,'' he said.
Separatist leader Theys Eluay said last month that Wahid had told
him in a meeting he would open the congress.
Wahid has been trying to redress grievances of Irianese since coming
to power in October but has ruled out independence.
He said Indonesia could learn from Thailand's experience at building
a democracy and the way it had worked to achieve economic recovery
since the Asian crisis. He went into talks with Thai Prime Minister
Chuan Leekpai after the degree ceremony.
Wahid joked that Thammasat had taken a risk in giving him an
honorary degree at the ceremony which was to mark the centenary of
the late Pridi Banomyong, a revered Thai democracy campaigner.
''It's not easy for them to give and not easy for me to take,'' he
said, ''because I was a dropout from university.
''But I tried to educate myself and I'm thankful to have had the
opportunity to take on one of the most difficult jobs in the
world.''
-- Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Indonesian Observer
Thursday, May 11 - 2000
Wahid uncertain whether to attend Papua congress
JAKARTA (IO) =97 President Abdurrahman Wahid yesterday said he is yet
to decide whether to attend an upcoming congress of the Free Papua
Movement (OPM) separatist group, as his attendance could spark
controversy.
=93Intelligence and government officials have asked me not to attend
the congress, because my presence would mean recognition of the
organization,=94 the president was quoted as saying by Antara in
Bangkok.
He said the OPM is keen on seeing him attend the congress to show
that he is a true democrat. =93I have yet to decide on this,=94 he
added.
Earlier this year, Wahid told the rebels in Irian Jaya (Papua) he
would open their congress. He said they are welcome to discuss
separatism and independence, but must not undertake any physical
actions that could threaten national unity.
The president has also apologized for military atrocities in the
nation=92s easternmost province.
Indonesia occupied West Papua, a Dutch colony, in 1963. The region
was renamed Irian Jaya and Indonesian sovereignty was formalized in
1969 following a dubious vote organized by the United Nations.
Secret US government documents at the time showed that UN officials
in West Papua believed 95% of the local population wanted
independence, and =93the Act of Free Choice is a mockery=94.
In the act, 1,025 Papuans, selected by Indonesia, voted on behalf of
the territory=92s 800,000 people. Western nations knew the vote was
unfair but did nothing about it.
In recent years, one of the main complaints of the separatists has
been the rapid transmigration of people from other Indonesian
islands coming to Irian Jaya and depriving the indigenous population
of work and education opportunities.
Until mid-1998, the Indonesian military ran the province using
repressive tactics. Thousands of locals were reportedly killed and
tortured during a series of anti-insurgency operations.
In 1998, the government abolished the state of emergency and
repression eased. But independence activists have been emboldened by
the 1999 secession of East Timor and protests have mounted.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/11/00 6:31:19 AM Central Daylight 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
Received from Joyo Indonesian News
Rio Tinto's human rights record attacked at AGM
By Sudip Kar-Gupta
LONDON, May 10 (Reuters) - Human rights activists attacked the record of the
world's biggest mining group, Rio Tinto Plc, on Wednesday, demanding changes
at the company's annual general meeting.
Shareholders supporting their approach questioned the Anglo-Australian
group's ethical policies, amid controversy over an accident at an Indonesian
mine last week which left four workers missing and presumed dead.
The meeting considered two union-backed resolutions that called for Rio to
adopt the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) conventions on human
rights at work, and also to adopt an independent, non-executive deputy
chairman to make its board more accountable to shareholders.
The biggest investor to back the calls is the Co-operative Insurance Society,
which has more than 23 billion pounds ($35.09 billion) under management and
is a major shareholder.
The AGM onslaught came the day after Indonesia said it may suspend production
at the vast Grasberg copper and gold mine, in which Rio has a stake,
following the fatal accident.
``When will Rio take action, why has it taken so long and why has it taken
four deaths?'' asked Richard Solly, a member of the Partizan (People Against
Rio Tinto And Its Subsidiaries) pressure group.
Tony Maher, president of the National Miners' Union of Australia, said Rio
had to improve the way it treated its workers.
``We think Rio Tinto has to lift its game rather dramatically over how it
treats its employees,'' said Maher, accusing the firm of discriminating
against Australian employees who chose to join a labour union.
Senzeni Zokwana, president of the South African National Union of
Mineworkers, joined Maher in asking for better employment practices from Rio.
``Is it really so much to ask? Is it really too much to achieve?'' said
Zokwana, receiving a vigorous round of applause from shareholders at the end
of his speech.
RIO CHAIRMAN DEFENDS HIS FIRM
Rio Chairman Robert Wilson robustly defended his firm's working practices,
urging the shareholders to reject both dissident motions.
Wilson, whose firm boosted profits 16 percent in 1999, said the company
supported numerous international conventions for best labour practices,
adding that all Rio employees were free to choose over joining a labour union
and whether or not they wanted to bargain collectively.
Referring to the incident at Grasberg, Wilson said the mine's environmental
standards had been the subject of a ``comprehensive review.''
Wilson also maintained that Rio already had an independent, non-executive
deputy chairman in the shape of Richard Giordano. However, some shareholders
felt that Giordano lacked any real power on the board.
The results of voting on the two activist resolutions will only be announced
after Rio holds a parallel meeting in Australia on May 24.
It is the latest example of pressure groups working with investors to push
for change at the annual meetings of big business.
Last month, environmental group Greenpeace claimed a moral victory over oil
group BP Amoco Plc, persuading a large minority of shareholders to back its
call for the company to stop drilling in the Arctic.
($1-.6555 Pound)
**************************************************
Paul Barber
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign,
25 Plovers Way, Alton Hampshire GU34 2JJ
Tel/Fax: 01420 80153
Email: plovers@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Defending victims of oppression in Indonesia and
East Timor, 1973-2000
Date: 5/11/00 9:58:03 AM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org (Admin)
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From: Peter Hallas
Reply-To: Peter Hallas
Dear irja.org
I am a doctor from Denmark who are looking for a
hospital in New Guinea (PNG or Irian J.) where I might
work/volunteer. Do you know who I should contact?
Yours sincerely
Peter Hallas
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Send instant messages & get email alerts with Yahoo!
Messenger.
http://im.yahoo.com/
----- End forwarded message -----
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com
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Date: 5/11/00 9:21:56 AM Central Daylight 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
Received from Joyo Indonesian News
ANALYSIS-Risk of Freeport Indonesia mine suspension low
By Andrew Marshall
JAKARTA, May 11 (Reuters) - Jakarta's warning that production may be
suspended at Freeport's Grasberg mine is not a serious threat but rather the
latest gambit in a high-stakes poker game over dividing the spoils from the
lucrative mine.
Both Jakarta and Freeport have too much to lose from halting production at
the vast copper and gold mine for this to be a real risk.
But an accident last week at Grasberg which left four workers missing and
presumed dead has given Indonesia's government a stronger hand in its bid to
wring concessions out of Freeport.
``The reality is that Indonesia needs Freeport. It is its largest taxpayer,''
said David Rubin, resources analyst at Nomura in Jakarta. ``And in
particular, Irian Jaya needs Freeport.''
A pile of waste rock near the mine collapsed last week, causing an adjoining
water basin to overflow and send a wave of water flooding into the valley.
Four workers were swept away.
Environment Minister Soni Keraf said on Wednesday production at Grasberg,
deep in the remote province of Irian Jaya in the shadow of Southeast Asia's
highest mountain, may be suspended if an investigation found the accident
caused environmental damage.
Grasberg, among the world's largest copper and gold mines, is majority-owned
by Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. The Indonesian government and Rio
Tinto also hold stakes. The company employs 16,000 people in Indonesia.
Suspending production would have a dramatic affect on metals markets --
Freeport said last month it expected sales from Indonesia to reach around 1.4
billion pounds of copper and 1.9 million ounces of gold this year.
A FOCUS OF CONTROVERSY
The mine has been a focus of controversy for years.
Some legislators say Freeport's contract of work, last renewed in 1991 during
the rule of disgraced former President Suharto, is not favourable enough to
Indonesia, and want the country to be granted a greater share of royalties
from the mine.
Freeport-McMoRan Chief Executive James Moffett was questioned in Indonesia in
1998 over allegations that corruption helped smooth the contract's renewal.
Freeport denied any wrongdoing.
Activists in Irian Jaya, one of Indonesia's separatist hotspots, accuse
Freeport of environmental damage, exploitation, and cultural insensitivity.
Freeport insists it maintains the highest environmental and safety standards
and that it respects and has helped preserve the local culture.
Amid mounting demands from Indonesia's resource-rich provinces for a greater
share of their natural wealth, Irian Jaya's provincial government has
demanded a stake in the mine.
A protest by Irianese activists forced Freeport Indonesia to temporarily
close its Jakarta headquarters this week.
Amid the controversy, Freeport's shares have fallen from above $21 at the
start of 2000 to $10-13/16 at Wednesday's Wall Street close.
But although Keraf is a former environmental activist and has taken a hard
line on Freeport, President Abdurrahman Wahid would not countenance closing
the mine, analysts say.
The government does, however, want to see Freeport share more of its wealth
to help defuse separatist pressure in Irian Jaya as well as shore-up the
central government's hard-pressed coffers.
And after last week's accident, it has a new bargaining chip.
A COMPLICATED GAME
``There is a complicated game going on in terms of Freeport,'' said a mining
analyst at an international brokerage in Jakarta, adding neither the central
nor the provincial government genuinely wanted to see production suspended.
``There's obviously a negotiation going on, but I don't think either of those
parties want to close the mine down. After all, you don't get royalties from
a mine that isn't producing.''
Analysts do not rule out a brief suspension of production if Indonesia
decides to really turn the screws on Freeport. But a more likely outcome,
better for both sides, is a quiet deal which wrings fresh concessions from
Freeport.
``I don't expect the contract of work to be renegotiated, but you could well
see some kind of deal done,'' said a Jakarta-based mining consultant. ``It
seems inevitable, given the pressures of regional demands for autonomy and
resources.''
Indonesia is also likely to aim for more environmental pledges, which will
help placate restive Irian Jaya.
Freeport Indonesia says the accident, which involved the collapse of a rock
waste containment area, was not its fault and was caused by heavy rains.
**************************************************
Paul Barber
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign,
25 Plovers Way, Alton Hampshire GU34 2JJ
Tel/Fax: 01420 80153
Email: plovers@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Defending victims of oppression in Indonesia and
East Timor, 1973-2000
Date: 5/11/00 9:22:01 AM Central Daylight Time
From: plovers@gn.apc.org (Tapol)
To: 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, jonathan.head@bbc.co.uk, reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org, u.braun@xcc.de, slliem@xs4all.nl, taylorjb@vax.sbu.ac.uk
National (Papua New Guinea)
May 10, 2000
Nauru supports calls for self-rule in West Papua
BY HARLYNE JOKU
THE President of the Republic of Nauru, Bernard Dowiyogo, has urged the APPU
(Asian-Pacific Parliamentary Union) to declare its support for the
independence of the Indonesian province of West Irian.
In doing so, President Dowigoyo has become the first head of state to
publicly make such a call.
President Dowiyogo made the remarks during his opening address at the recent
APPUs 34th General Assembly in Nauru held from May 2 to 6 last week and
attended by 15 member countries including China, Japan, Malaysia, Korea ,
PNG and other Pacific Island states.
Mr Dowiyogo was speaking on the importance of parliamentary democracy and
the principle of self determination.
He said parliamentary democracy based on popular will and not on force
continues to gain strength in the Asia-Pacific region despite the upsurge of
authoritarianism experienced in various parts of the world over the past
fifty years.
President Dowiyogo gave the example of East Timor saying that although it
had been a bloody independence struggle, credit nevertheless must be given
to Indonesia for allowing the referendum which has led to the independence
of East Timor.
Even closer, our Melanesian colleagues in West New Guinea (Irian Jaya) are
striving to achieve independence. I have no illusion that we are all here
because we believe in the ideals and principles of democracy. I would
therefore call on this Conference of the APPU to see its way clear to
declare its support for the independence of West Papua New Guinea or West
Papua if you prefer, he said.
Mr Dowiyogo said it is of concern to Nauru that there are now reports of
militia activity fostered in West Papua as had occurred in East Timor with
the purpose of inhibiting moves to independence.
The right to self determination is a principle of international law and did
not die with the end of old colonialism; it is an enduring principle. Its
future will witness this century, I am sure, the redrawing of many national
boundaries or translate into new distributions of power amongst autonomous
units, he said.
**************************************************
Paul Barber
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign,
25 Plovers Way, Alton Hampshire GU34 2JJ
Tel/Fax: 01420 80153
Email: plovers@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Defending victims of oppression in Indonesia and
East Timor, 1973-2000
Date: 5/11/00 6:28:14 AM Central Daylight 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
Received from Joyo Indonesian News
Freeport unaware of Irian mining halt plan
NEW ORLEANS, May 10 (Reuters) - Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. said on
Wednesday Indonesia's government had not told the company directly that it
might suspend production at the Grasberg copper and gold mine in Irian Jaya
after an accident last week which left four workers missing and presumed
dead.
Company spokesman Bill Collier told Reuters he was aware of reports that
Indonesian Environment Minister Soni Keraf had said suspension was possible
but Collier said government officials had not made any such suggestion to the
company directly.
``We saw the speculation about a possible suspension of operations and I
would emphasise that curtailing mining and milling will not improve the
situation with regard to the accident and the assessments that are under
way,'' Collier said.
Grasberg, majority-owned by Freeport McMoRan, is one of the world's biggest
copper and gold mines. Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto Plc also holds
a stake.
Collier said Freeport McMoRan and the Indonesian government were
investigating the accident to determine how it had happened and what remedial
action could be taken.
The four workers have been missing since a pile of waste rock from the mine
collapsed last Thursday after heavy rains. Collier said the pile of waste
rock was situated far away from the main mining and milling operations.
Collier described the accident as ``tragic and very regrettable'' and said
efforts were continuing to recover the bodies of the workers who were
presumed to have perished.
The company recently projected that the mine would produce 1.4 billion pounds
of copper and 1.9 million ounces of gold this year.
**************************************************
Paul Barber
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign,
25 Plovers Way, Alton Hampshire GU34 2JJ
Tel/Fax: 01420 80153
Email: plovers@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Defending victims of oppression in Indonesia and
East Timor, 1973-2000
E-Mail:
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