Buchtar Tabuni on trial for subversion in West Papua, Indonesia
Tymphaios
February 22, 2009
Buchtar Tabuli on trial for subversion in West Papua, Indonesia
In 1969, following the Indonesian take-over of the former Dutch colony of West Papua (Netherlands New Guinea), the United Nations agreed to oversee an act of self-determination. Instead, Indonesia carried out a so-called Act of Free choice, neither free nor with any choice: 1025 Papuans were hand picked and bribed or blackmailed to "vote" practically at gunpoint in front of rows of armed Indonesian soldiers on behalf of the entire population. Only 40 UN officials visited the territory and very few foreign journalists. The latter uniformly wrote in protest of the climate of fear and the blackmailing of the picked Papuans. Among those who voted, many later regretted that they did not have the courage to protest.
Since the fraudelent Act of Free Choice, there have been many attempts for the Papuans to assert their independence. In 1961, the Dutch had given West Papua a flag and constitution. The flag, outlawed in Indonesia, has been often raised on the anniversary of West Papuan "independence", the 1st of December. Every time, the Papuans run the risk of being arrested and in fact almost always are arrested and imprisoned in a climate of terror. Beaten and tortured, they rarely have access to a lawyer and trials are mostly show trials closed to foreign observers.
In recent years, NGOs and politicians around the world, Australian and US senators, European Union Parliamentarians and Parliamentarians from individual governments have formed concerned groups and attempted to enter into dialogue with the Indonesian government in support of freedom of expression in West Papua. Indonesia has responded with a smoke-delivering exercise that promised autonomy to West Papua. The Special Autonomy when eventually delivered was special in many ways. What ensued was that the money, intended for building up the province, providing schools, hospitals, etc has gone to support the army, police and Indonesian administration in West Papua. The territory was even partitioned into three parts, only one of which was named West Papua, totally subverting the entire idea as well as trying to give the impression that only the inhabitants of the new "West Papua" province have been asking for independence. Or that when international organisations demand freedom of expression in West Papua, that only concerns a third of the province.
Last Friday, the 18th of February, began in West Papua the trial of Buchtar Tabuni. Prosecutor Maskel Rambolangi accused Buchtar of being the coordinator for the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP), an international platform launched with a press conference in London last year. The prosecutor accused Mr Tabuni that he had twice coordinated mass demonstrations at the University of Cenderawasih campus on 16 October and had delivered political speeches that were deemed to be a threat to the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia. Additional evidence, presumably linking Mr Tabuni and his colleagues with the formation of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) consisted of banners on which it was written: 'Referendum Yes, Otonomi Khusus (Special Autonomy) No', 'West Papua Problem is not Indonesia Problem', 'We want to International dialog' and a variety of other slogans asking for political freedom. Buchtar Tabuni was subsequently charged under Articles 106, 160 and 212 of the Criminal Code for state subversion and for resisting personnel of the state (the armed policemen and military).
The court was guarded during the hearing by 200 armed BriMob (mobile police) and anti-riot police. The law team assisting Mr Tabuni asked that such a large force should not be present in future hearings. Though the lawyers used carefully worded language, the message the presence of the police force was sending was clear: to intimidate the defendant and the defense and to give a clear warning that freedom of expression in West Papua is against the very principle of what is essentially a 40-year old streak of political and military repression.
Indonesia has practically merely tried to trick the international community with the offer of Special Autonomy. It was rejected by the Papuans and has blatantly failed. It was no surprise that this sooner or later would rouse concerned politicians across the world into action. The problem lies not in Mr Tabuni but in the cold-war ideology that governs the actions of a government in Jakarta largely out of touch with the ethos of our time. The Indonesian government has failed and continues to fail to respect the human dignity of Papuans and their pride in their own culture and customs. Their non-violent protests and openness of the Papuan societies should be a model for Indonesia and not something for Indonesia to destroy.
In 1969, following the Indonesian take-over of the former Dutch colony of West Papua (Netherlands New Guinea), the United Nations agreed to oversee an act of self-determination. Instead, Indonesia carried out a so-called Act of Free choice, neither free nor with any choice: 1025 Papuans were hand picked and bribed or blackmailed to "vote" practically at gunpoint in front of rows of armed Indonesian soldiers on behalf of the entire population. Only 40 UN officials visited the territory and very few foreign journalists. The latter uniformly wrote in protest of the climate of fear and the blackmailing of the picked Papuans. Among those who voted, many later regretted that they did not have the courage to protest.
Since the fraudelent Act of Free Choice, there have been many attempts for the Papuans to assert their independence. In 1961, the Dutch had given West Papua a flag and constitution. The flag, outlawed in Indonesia, has been often raised on the anniversary of West Papuan "independence", the 1st of December. Every time, the Papuans run the risk of being arrested and in fact almost always are arrested and imprisoned in a climate of terror. Beaten and tortured, they rarely have access to a lawyer and trials are mostly show trials closed to foreign observers.
In recent years, NGOs and politicians around the world, Australian and US senators, European Union Parliamentarians and Parliamentarians from individual governments have formed concerned groups and attempted to enter into dialogue with the Indonesian government in support of freedom of expression in West Papua. Indonesia has responded with a smoke-delivering exercise that promised autonomy to West Papua. The Special Autonomy when eventually delivered was special in many ways. What ensued was that the money, intended for building up the province, providing schools, hospitals, etc has gone to support the army, police and Indonesian administration in West Papua. The territory was even partitioned into three parts, only one of which was named West Papua, totally subverting the entire idea as well as trying to give the impression that only the inhabitants of the new "West Papua" province have been asking for independence. Or that when international organisations demand freedom of expression in West Papua, that only concerns a third of the province.
Last Friday, the 18th of February, began in West Papua the trial of Buchtar Tabuni. Prosecutor Maskel Rambolangi accused Buchtar of being the coordinator for the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP), an international platform launched with a press conference in London last year. The prosecutor accused Mr Tabuni that he had twice coordinated mass demonstrations at the University of Cenderawasih campus on 16 October and had delivered political speeches that were deemed to be a threat to the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia. Additional evidence, presumably linking Mr Tabuni and his colleagues with the formation of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) consisted of banners on which it was written: 'Referendum Yes, Otonomi Khusus (Special Autonomy) No', 'West Papua Problem is not Indonesia Problem', 'We want to International dialog' and a variety of other slogans asking for political freedom. Buchtar Tabuni was subsequently charged under Articles 106, 160 and 212 of the Criminal Code for state subversion and for resisting personnel of the state (the armed policemen and military).
The court was guarded during the hearing by 200 armed BriMob (mobile police) and anti-riot police. The law team assisting Mr Tabuni asked that such a large force should not be present in future hearings. Though the lawyers used carefully worded language, the message the presence of the police force was sending was clear: to intimidate the defendant and the defense and to give a clear warning that freedom of expression in West Papua is against the very principle of what is essentially a 40-year old streak of political and military repression.
Indonesia has practically merely tried to trick the international community with the offer of Special Autonomy. It was rejected by the Papuans and has blatantly failed. It was no surprise that this sooner or later would rouse concerned politicians across the world into action. The problem lies not in Mr Tabuni but in the cold-war ideology that governs the actions of a government in Jakarta largely out of touch with the ethos of our time. The Indonesian government has failed and continues to fail to respect the human dignity of Papuans and their pride in their own culture and customs. Their non-violent protests and openness of the Papuan societies should be a model for Indonesia and not something for Indonesia to destroy.
Print
Email
