Jayapura Jubi – At least 100 people from Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and the Indonesian’s Front for West Papua (FRI West Papua) were arrested in Yogyakarta, Semarang and Jakarta during the anniversary to protest 55 years of New York Agreement.
The protest actions by AMP and FRI West Papua were conducted in several cities in Java Island such as Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Malang, Semarang, Bandung, and also in Ternate City, North Maluku.
All the action in the cities of Java was thwarted and dissolved by various pro-Indonesia Unity (NKRI) mass organizations and local police officers. According the official facebook account of AMP, there were injured victims from those detained includes some accompanying lawyers.
In Semarang it was reported that 47 people were taken to Semarang Resort Police Station, even included two lawyers from Semarang Legal Aid Institute (PBH) who then gave legal assistance for the protest.
According to Hupla Sobolim who monitored the action in Semarang Tuesday (August 15), explained that the police had blocked their rally even before arriving at the meeting point at Diponegoro Statue.
“Dozens action participants were intercepted by the police and asked us to dismiss for reasons of no permission. But in fact we have sent the letter of notification, but the police rejected to issue the permit,” he said.
The same thing was experienced by dozens of action participants in other cities in Java. The police dispersed the crowd for not having permission to take to the streets, while the organizers had sent a notice.
The police also threatened for the protest should not be held since there are counter-organizations which against the demands of Papuans. And the police choose to let the counter-organization to conduct their act instead of pro Papuan protest action.
Hupla went on to say that he saw the protest coordinator, Januarius Adii, while given speech, suddenly dragged by the police and forced him into the police car. “His dreadlocked hair is pulled by the police,” he said.
“In addition, the police also pulled one of the lawyers from LBH Semarang, Rizky Putra Edry. Both (Janus and Rizky) were transported into a police truck,” said Hupla.
The protest participants require both to be released and demanded to stay on the road. “Finally, all the masses were pushed into police trucks,” Hupla said, explaining that the police were also transporting Nico Andi Wauran, another LBH Semarang lawyer, and was forced to squat as he was being held by police.
The police took 17 posters and 1 banner from the action.
While in Yogyakarta, 29 people were also arrested without having held the action. Since early in the morning, the police and Jogja Rembug (Katon Paksi), a local pro NKRI organization has been gathered at the action point and watch for the crowd to come.
“At 10 am two police cars, 3 police trucks, 10 police motorbikes, 1 water cannon, and more than 100 police and 30 Jogja Rembug (Katon Paksi) mass organizations are on guard,” according to a chronology received by Jubi from Emanuel Gobay, a LBH Yogyakarta lawyer, Tuesday (August 15).
The Paksi Kator also marched in front of AMP and FRI West Papua crowd while chanted, “Separatist, hit, hit, hit, communist, beat, beat, beat. NKRI harga mati (NKRI is a death price or no negotiation for NKRI)”.
But dozens of people from AMP and FRI West Papua try to push through their action. It was then they were herded into a police truck again.
At 6 PM local time, they were finally released. “FRI West Papua and AMP of Yogyakarta City, amounted to 29 people, all have been released,” said Emanuel to Jubi.
In Jakarta, 24 people were still detained at Jakarta Metropolitan Police. There are five victims of injuries. They were all released later of the evening at about 9.30 PM local time.
While in Malang, the action was also dissolved. One man claimed to have sustained a head injury after being punched by a civillian militia member after he shouted “merdeka”, a common cry for Papuan freedom
Approximately 30 participants gathered at Gajayana Stadium since the morning. They were intercepted by pro NKRI mass organizations such as Pemuda Pancasila, GM FKPPI and some religious mass organizations with religious attributes such of turban, white cap and Muslim long clothing while holding a red and white flag. They shouted a slogan of NKRI is a death price.
The New York Agreement signed on August 15, 1962 between the Netherlands and Indonesia related to the fate of West New Guinea. The agreement was deemed not to represent indigenous Papuans because it did not involve representatives of West New Guinea.
It is said as the US-brokered deal under which the Netherlands agreed to transfer control of West Papua to Indonesia, pending a UN-administered plebiscite.
The agreement then paved the way for 1969’s Act of Free Choice which gave Indonesia control of the former Dutch New Guinea. Many Papuans say the process was undemocratic and a betrayal.(*)
Source: tabloidjubi.com
Editor: Zely Ariane
