The New Zealand foreign minister, Murray McCully, says he welcomes an announcement by the Indonesian government of a full investigation into the apparent torture of two Papuan men by military personnel.
Graphic video images of the incident were released via the internet early last week, coinciding with an official visit by Mr McCully to Indonesia.
The Australian Prime Minister will visit Indonesia on the 1 and 2 November to d iscuss ways to further strengthen the bilateral relationship and increase cooperation across a number of economic, security, development and environmental challenges.
Erwida Maulia and Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered a "thorough investigation" of a controversial video of the alleged torture of Papuans by Indonesian Military (TNI) members, which a senior minister said was genuine.
The New Zealand-based Indonesia Human Rights Committee is again questioning New Zealand's training of Indonesian police in Papua following reports of a village burning earlier this month.
The reports allege Indonesia's mobile police brigade burnt at least 29 homes leaving about 150 Papuans homeless.
An international lawyers organisation says it hopes Indonesia will identify and punish those responsible for the torture of two Papuan men which was caught on video.
The video appears to show Indonesian security forces applying a smouldering a stick to one man's genitals and threatening to shoot him in the mouth.
Jerry Omona – The Papuan Caucus in the Indonesian Parliament has strongly condemned the burning down of dozens of houses and churches in the district of Puncak Jaya, Papua. These incidents are thought to have been perpetrated by the security forces from June to October 2010
Karishma Vaswani, Jakarta – Indonesia has admitted that the men seen torturing Papuan villagers in a video uploaded on the internet earlier this week are members of the military.
The minister for security said the soldiers' actions were excessive and unprofessional. He added that the soldiers would be punished. An investigation is continuing.
Jo Adetunji – The Indonesian government today confirmed that a graphic video showing scenes of torture by Indonesian soldiers on native Papuans was authentic and said the soldiers involved had been "unprofessional".
Sara Sidner, Jakarta – A thin man with graying hair lies on his back, completely naked on a dusty road. His legs and arms are bound and his body suddenly contorts in pain.
Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) says it will launch an investigation into reports of rights violations committed by law enforcers against Papuans, an issue that was rekindled with the recent release of an alleged torture video.
Hans David Tampubolon, Jakarta – A National Mandate Party (PAN) politician has urged for an immediate probe into torture allegedly committed by Indonesian Military (TNI) officers against Papuans, unless separatist rebel group in the province will exploit the issue to justify their fight.
The grotesque torture shown in this video demands an immediate and credible investigation, not the whitewash of an internal military investigation. – Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch
Nivell Rayda, Armando Siahaan & Banjir Ambarita, Jakarta – Amid an international outcry over alleged human rights abuses in Papua by security forces, two villagers in the province have come forward with a harrowing tale of the destruction of their homes at the hands of police officers.
Jakarta – Amnesty International on Wednesday demanded Indonesia investigate allegations of torture by security forces in restive Papua province.
The demand came after a video was posted on YouTube last week apparently showing two Papuan men being tortured during questioning about a weapons cache.
Tom Allard, Jakarta – The torture of a Papuan man by Indonesian security forces, depicted in a video that emerged this week, is not surprising and is likely to be repeated, according to the man who led a landmark study into the unrest in Papua for the Indonesian government.
Nivell Rayda & Markus Junianto Sihaloho, Jakarta – A volley of international criticism was unleashed at Indonesia on Monday over a video circulating on the Internet that apparently depicts two Papuans being interrogated and tortured by Indonesian soldiers.
AI Index: PRE01/350/2010
The Indonesian government should initiate an independent investigation into reports of torture and other ill-treatment in Papua over the last two years, Amnesty International said today.
A video published online last week shows Papuans being kicked and physically abused, in some instances by men in uniform.
Ismira Lutfia & Nivell Rayda, Jakarta – Minister of Justice and Human Rights Patrialis Akbar declined comment on an Internet video that appears to show Indonesian soldiers torturing Papuans, but promised a probe. He made the remarks on Wednesday at the launch of the Human Rights Resource Center for Asean.
Jakarta – Legislators and human rights activists have urged the government to verify the authenticity of a video that appears to show men in military uniform torturing an indigenous Papuan, including one scene in which soldiers press a red-hot stick against the man's genitals.
A new video shows the torture of helpless men in the Indonesian-ruled territory of West Papua.
19 October, 2010
The Right Hon. William Hague, MP
Foreign Secretary,
Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
King Charles Street,
London SW1A 1AA
Dear Mr. Hague,
IHRC has sent an urgent fax communication to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Murray McCully, urging him to respond to the leaked video evidence of shocking torture in West Papua. IHRC also calls for an end to NZ's military training of Indonesian military officers.
Tom Allard, Jakarta – A graphic and disturbing video shows a Papuan man being poked in the genitals with a fiery stick as he is interrogated by a group of men who appear to be members of Indonesia's security services.
Jakarta – The House of Representatives said Monday it would question Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Adm. Agus Suhartono over an alleged military torture of Papuan separatists posted in Youtube.
Jakarta – Indonesian police said Monday they would investigate fresh reports of torture by security forces against civilians in restive Papua province, after a graphic video was posted online.
AHRC-PRL-021-2010
Nethy Dharma Somba and Markus Makur, Jayapura/Timika – Environmentalists insisted Thursday that the fatal flash floods in Wasior district in West Papua were caused by environmental degradation in the area.
Camelia Pasandaran, Farouk Arnaz & Fidelis E. Satriastanti, Jakarta – The government aims to speed up development of two economic clusters of local industries in Papua and West Papua to help overcome economic and social problems in the provinces.
Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Regional Representatives Council (DPD) will host a meeting between ministers and Papuan leaders on Monday to break the impasse over the future of Papuan autonomy.
The meeting will focus on stalled talks on leadership change in the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP) and how to recover lost trust between the sides.
Fidelis E Satriastanti, Markus Junianto Sihaloho & Banjir Ambarita, Jakarta – After denying that the deadly flash floods in Wasior, West Papua, were caused by illegal logging, Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan on Tuesday said he planned to reclassify existing forest concessions near the district into conservation areas.
Jakarta – The Indonesian Red Cross have blamed "miscommunication" among emergency authorities for sending relief aid to the devastated town of Wasior in West Papua, despite the fact that most survivors had been evacuated to the provincial capital Manokwari.
Fidelis E Satriastanti – A Papuan tribe fighting over its customary rights to land in court against US mining giant Freeport McMoRan on Monday dismissed an intervention lawsuit filed by several clans in the tribe as invalid.
AWPA (Sydney) has written to Prime Minister Julia Gillard urging that as Australia is one of the best resourced countries in the region we should offer assistance to the Indonesian Government to help in their relief operations.
Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-162-2010
Dear friends,
Manokwari – The death toll from flash floods in eastern Indonesia has risen to 110 with bodies still lying unclaimed in the mud four days after the disaster, an official said on Friday.
The remote seaside town of Wasior in West Papua province was devastated after a torrent of mud, rocks and logs struck it on Monday following torrential downpours.
Fidelis E. Satriastanti & Camelia Pasandaran, Jakarta – Activists on Friday blamed environmental degradation and forest conversions for the recent flash floods in Wasior, West Papua, that left more than 100 people dead, and demanded the government immediately review development policies in the area.
Jayapura – US ambassador to Indonesia Scot Marciel reiterated his country's full support for Papua as part of the integrated nation of the Republic of Indonesia and for the implementation of the 2001 Special Autonomy Law in the province.
Wasior, West Papua – The remote Indonesian town of Wasior was a scene of devastation on Wednesday, with bodies lying unclaimed in the debris of flash floods that killed at least 86 people and left dozens missing.
The seaside town's Sanduay neighborhood was all but flattened when a wall of mud, rocks and logs hit it on Monday.
Nivell Rayda & Camelia Pasandaran, Jakarta – As calls for independence in Papua and West Papua intensify, leaders in the restive provinces have rejected the possibility of talks with the government until it acknowledges human rights abuses and ensures economic development.
A spokesman for Vanuatu's Prime Minister Edward Natapei has confirmed he did not raise the issue of the status of Indonesia's Papua last week while attending the United Nations General Assembly.
In June, Vanuatu's parliament unanimously passed a motion, sponsored by Mr Natapei, to raise issues around the status of Indonesian territories of New Guinea at the UN.
Timika – One man was killed and at least three injured on Monday in a clash between Indonesian police and dozens of locals over a security check dispute in the restive province of Papua, an official said.
In the past week, two local newspapers in Jayapura have published reports claiming that a number of countries have expressed their support for a referendum to be held in West Papua. These reports have been welcomed by several Papuan organisations who regard this as a victory for their recent demands calling for a referendum to be held on the status of their homeland.
The United States has called for Indonesia to move forward on autonomy in its Papua region and insisted it would not overlook human rights as it seeks broader relations with Jakarta.
Jakarta – The House of Representatives urged the government on Tuesday to establish information commission offices across Indonesia in efforts to preserve national unity.
Hayono Isman, the deputy chairman of House Commission I overseeing information, said access to public information was vital to people's trust in each other and the (Indonesian) government.
Just weeks after it was revealed that members of the Indonesian counter-terrorism unit Detachment 88 was accused of the torture of activists in Maluku, the Australian SAS has conducted a joint exercises with an other Indonesian Special Forces unit, Kopassus, in Bali.
Camelia Pasandaran & Nivell Rayda, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has dispatched his three coordinating ministers and their officials on a quick trip to Papua as part of his promised audit of conditions in the troubled province.
American Samoa's US congressman, Faleomavaega Eni Faleomavaega says the Pacific should not turn its back on the Indonesian region of Papua.
Last week as chairman of the Sub-Committee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment, Faleomavaega hosted a hearing of the US Congress on the issue of ongoing human rights abuses in Papua.
Jayapura – A new detachment of 140 Mobile Brigade personnel from Bogor, West Java, has been dispatched to Puncak Jaya.
The personnel, who are replacing another 102 who have been on for the past four months, were received by Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Bekto Suprapto at Sentani Airport on Saturday.
Serious concerns have been raised in the United States about the treatment of West Papuans under Indonesian rule. For the first time a US Congress hearing has been dedicated to the issues affecting the Melanesian province.
Geoffrey Bell – New Zealand needs to follow the "Bougainville solution" and facilitate peaceful dialogue between representatives of Indonesia and West Papua instead of supporting the status quo and ongoing repression of West Papuans, says a spokesperson for the Indonesia Human Rights Committee.