Tribunnews.com
- June 28, 2010
Alie Usman,
Jakarta – Scores of demonstrators from the group Solidarity for Papua (SUP)
that had gathered at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta on
Monday June 28, ended up stopping at several points along the length of Jl.
Medan Merdeka Barat on their way to the State Palace.
The
protesters, most of which were wearing traditional Papuan dress and tassels,
soon caused the flow of traffic on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat to come to a halt
creating total grid-lock for several minutes.
One of the
worst things was when the crowd took up almost the entire width of road in
front of the Communication and Information Ministry office. At this point they
held speeches and closed off the road for several minutes. Other road users
were forced to use the busway lane to get by. Although the action paralyzed
traffic, there was no response whatsoever by police or security personnel on
guard in front of the building.
Before
moving off to the State Palace, the pro-Papua demonstrators gathered at the
Hotel Indonesia traffic circle to hold a protest action. After giving speeches
for several minutes, they continued the action with a long-march to the State
Palace on Jl. Medan Merdeka in Central Jakarta.
The protest
was in response to their disappointment over the failure to end the military
operational zone (DOM) status and scorched earth policy in the Tingginambut
district of Puncak Jaya, which they say has resulted in numerous human rights
violations.
The
protesters, most of which came from inland tribes in Papua and brought regional
symbols with them, called on the government to immediately lift the DOM status
in Papua. They also called on the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM)
to immediately step in and investigate a variety of cases of military violence
in Tingginambut.
Notes
SUP
(Solidarutas Untuk Papua) was established in mid June and includes activists
from the Papuan Student Association (IPMA-PAPUA), the West Papua Student
Alliance (AMWP), the Anti Colonial Movement (GANJA), the National Student Front
(FMN), the Legal Aid Foundation (LBH), the Indonesian Association of Catholic
Students (PMKRI), Student Struggle Center for National Liberation-Political
Union of the Poor (Pembebasan-PPRM), the Political Committee of the
Poor-Peoples Democratic Party (KPRM-PRD), the Youth Organisations Union of
Struggle (KPOP), the Indonesian Student Union (SMI), Perempuan Mahardhika (Free
Women), the West Papua Women's Liberation Movement of Struggle (GP3-PB) and the
Indonesian Struggle Union (PPI).
[Translated
by James Balowski.]
