Workers in Jakarta injured after police forcibly break up protest action

Viva News - June 28, 2014

Eko Priliawito – A protest action by hundreds of PT Super Steel Indah workers in the West Cakung area of East Jakarta was forcibly broken up by officers from the Metro Jaya regional police and the East Java district police on the evening of Friday June 27.

The action by police resulted in nine workers suffering injuries. According to observations by VIVAnews, police officers, which had been guarding the action since morning, began forcing the workers to disperse at around 10pm.

At least nine Company Level Unit officers were mobilised to disburse around 250 demonstrating workers. The police also deployed two water cannons. As result of the police's actions, one workers suffered a fracture to the their right leg and was taken by comrades to the Jayakarta Hospital in East Jakarta.

The PT Super Steel Indah workers have been protesting since last month demanding the payment of outstanding severance pay after being arbitrarily dismissed. And it was not just workers that joined the action, their wives and children also gave support by joining the protest. When police were dispersing the workers, one of the workers' wives could be seen crying hysterically as her husband was beaten by police.

Nevertheless, Metro Jaya regional police tactical Unit who were in the front ranks and personnel from the mobile brigade (Brimob) who in the rear continued to disperse the workers. Although they tried to fight back, they were outnumbered they were eventually forced to disperse.

As many as 15 workers were taken to the district police for questioning in relation to the actions they had been holding. One of them was chairperson of the PT Super Steel Indah All Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI), Sofyan. "I can't brother, I'm being taken to the police station. I can't provide any information yet", said Sofyan. The workers' families are still standing firm demanding the payment of severance pay.

From the information gathered by VIVAnews, the workers' action is related to a court decision that declared that the company was bankrupt. Workers however were not willing to accept the decision before all of the company's workers employed in the steel smelter received their wages.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service.]

Source: http://m.news.viva.co.id/news/read/516774-buruh-pt-steel-indah-cakung-bentrok-dengan-polisi.

10-year old slams Prabowo, Wiranto over rights violations

Kompas.com - June 26, 2014

Jakarta – A 10-year old boy, Markus Yernirkolaus, suddenly appeared in the middle of a Kamisan (Thursday Action) and gave a speech about human rights violations by presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto.

"Indonesia is a disreputable human rights violator!", shouted Yernirkolaus in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Thursday June 26.

Yernirkolaus taunted the Indonesian government that has over the years failed to take action against human rights violators saying that Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is callous and inhuman because he fails to prioritise the ordinary people by allowing human rights perpetrators to remain free.

Yernirkolaus said that he is convinced that Prabowo was involved in the abduction of political activists in 1997-98. The cousin of Ucok Munandar [one of the 13 activists who have not been found], also slammed Prabowo for fleeing the country [to Jordan] after he was dismissed from the military.

Because of this therefore, Yernirkolaus believes Prabowo is unsuitable to be running as a presidential candidate for the Republic of Indonesia. "It's inappropriate to praise Prabowo, a coward will become president", shouted Yernirkolaus.

Although he does not support Prabowo, the class V primary school student is also suspicious of people behind the candidacy of presidential candidate Joko Widodo, specifically People's Conscience Party (Hanura) general chairperson former armed forces chief retired General Wiranto. "Jokowi [Widodo] should think about [the fact] that behind him is Wiranto. Wiranto is dangerous. He was Prabowo's senior officer", added Yernirkolaus.

The bespectacled boy conceded that he would be happier if Jokowi expelled Wiranto from the ranks of his coalition partners because Wiranto is one of the masterminds behind past human rights violations.

Yernirkolaus' speech was welcomed by the other protesters and several people took turns in asking him to be photographed with them.

Notes

Kamisan - Roughly translated as "Thursday Actions", every Thursday since January 18, 2007 the Solidarity Network for Victims and Families of Victims (JSKKK) has been organising silent actions in front of the State Palace calling on President Yudhoyono to resolve past human rights cases.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service.]

Source: http://nasional.kompas.com/read/2014/06/26/1834157/Bocah.Ini.Lantang.Berorasi.tentang.Pelanggaran.HAM.Prabowo.dan.Wiranto.

Allan Nairn challenges Prabowo to face him in court over alleged defamation

Merdeka.com - June 26, 2014

Laurencius Simanjuntak – Experienced US journalist Allan Nairn has spoken up over accusations by the Prabowo Subianto camp that the Indonesian military (TNI) once wanted to arrest him because he entered Indonesia illegally on seven occasions.

Nairn, a journalist who was arrested by the regime of former President Suharto when covering [the 1991 Dili massacre] in East Timor has in fact issued a counter challenge.

"I'm currently in Indonesia, so if the TNI want to arrest me, they can", said Nairn as quoted from his blog http://www.allannairn.org/ by merdeka.com on Thursday June 26.

Nairn said that if Prabowo wants him arrested for writing about him, "I ask him (Prabowo) to say so himself". The statement that the TNI had in the past wanted to arrest Nairn was made by the Prabowo-Hatta election campaign team media and communication director Budi Purnomo Karjodihardjo.

With regard to accusations that Nairn is working with the US, the journalist who has received a number of awards believes that this is amusing.

"Anyone familiar with my work knows that I am an opponent of the US and US corporate interests", he wrote. "One of my main criticism against the US is that over the last 40 years they have exploited and murdered the poor throughout the world, including in Indonesia", said Nairn.

Moreover, said Nairn, he has called for every US president that is still alive to be tried and jailed for sponsoring forces that kill civilians.

One of the many US-backed forces that kills civilians is the TNI, and General Prabowo was the US's closest protege in the TNI (Prabowo described himself to me as the Americans' darling)", said Nairn.

Because of this therefore, Nairn has issued three challenges to the general who is now running as the next president of Indonesia.

"General Prabowo, will you join me in calling for the US president to be put on trial", said Nairn of his first challenge.

Second, continued Nairn, on US exploitation of Indonesia and the issue of mining contracts, "General Prabowo, will you join me in calling call for the expulsion of Freeport McMoRan from Indonesia?".

Nairn insists that his writing on Prabowo is accurate. "If the general denies this, I invite him to face me in the Indonesian courts by filing charges of defamation against me". (ren)

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service.]

Source: http://www.merdeka.com/peristiwa/ngaku-di-indonesia-allan-nairn-ajukan-3-tantangan-ke-prabowo.html.

Papua activists say don't elect human rights violator as president

Liputan6.com - June 21, 2014

Kursi Istana, Jayapura – Human rights activists and organisations have launched the Movement Against Forgetting in Papua. The activists are calling on the Papuan people not to vote for a presidential candidate that has a track record of human rights violations.

"In several days, we along with a number of activists and human rights non-government organisations in the land of Papua will launch the Movement Against Forgetting in the context of welcoming democratic transition in Indonesia. At the same time [we will] call on the Papuan people not to vote for the wrong president in the coming presidential election", said Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) Executive Director Poengky Indarti in the Papuan provincial capital of Jayapura on Friday June 20.

According to Indarti, many cases of human rights violations have taken place in Papua including violations of civil and political rights in the form of restrictions on the freedom of expression, violence against civilians linked to the stigma of separatism, widespread cases of shootings along with past human rights violations such as the Mapenduma case in 1996, the Wamena case in 1977 and the Bela Alama case, which has already been forgotten.

"Obviously this will be a hard lesson for the president that is election on July 9, so in order to bring about a quality presidential election resulting in the best president, we are thus calling on the people in Papua not to vote for a presidential candidate with a track record of human rights violations", she asserted.

With regard to the next president and vice president meanwhile, Indarti is hoping that they will be able to assist in resolving the conflict in Papua by means of a more humanitarian approach. "We also hope that the president that is elected can resolve the conflict in Papua through peaceful means and dialogue, along with a commitment to respect, uphold and protect human rights", she explained.

Also speaking in Jayapura meanwhile, the recipient of the 2009 Yap Thiam Hiem human rights award, Pastor John Jonga, called on the Papuan people not to forget the human rights violations that have occurred in Papua. On the hostage release case in Mapenduma on May 13, 1996 for example, there followed a military attack that resulted in the killing of eight civilians and several villages in the area being burnt to the ground.

"After the military attack, Mapenduma was declared a military operational zone, the aftermath of which was various human rights violations, several military officers must be held accountable, including [presidential candidate] Prabowo Subianto", he asserted.

Papuan human rights activists insist that the Movement Against Forgetting is not a black campaign, but has been running for 16 years. "Even though the timing coincides with the presidential election campaign, this is just a coincidence and not a black campaign against a particular presidential candidate. The movement has no connection with politics", he explained. (Ado)

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service.]

Source: http://indonesia-baru.liputan6.com/read/2066573/pegiat-ham-di-papua-serukan-tak-pilih-capres-pelanggar-ham.

West Papuan pro-independence groups call for presidential election boycott

Selangkah Magazine - June 10, 2014

Admin MS, Jayapura – West Papua National Committee (KNPB) spokesperson Basoka Logo is calling on all Papuan people to boycott the 2014 presidential election (pilpres).

The call was conveyed together with KNPB Deputy Chairperson Agus Kosay at a press conference earlier this afternoon on Tuesday June 10 at Expo, Waena, in the West Papua provincial capital of Jayapura.

Logo said, "The KNPB and the West Papua National Parliament (PNWP) have jointly agreed that we as the media of the Papuan people will make a call that the NKRI [Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia] pilpres must be boycotted".

Logo said that there have been accusations and counter accusations recently between supporters of the Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa and Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla presidential tickets.

In the interests of their campaign they raised human rights violations, such as the Mapnduma [Mapenduma], Bratayudha [Baratayuda] and other operation led by Prabowo Subianto in the land of Papua. Meanwhile the murder of West Papuan independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay occurred during the leadership of former President Megawati Sukarnoputri who is now backing Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

"Who is Megawati? Who is Prabowo? Don't just occasionally pawn off the issue human rights violations for the interest of campaigning for NKRI. Remember, our struggle, the Papuan people's struggle for independence is a pure and peaceful struggle", he asserted.

Logo continued by saying, "This is the way of the coloniser, and they are colonisers of the Papuan nation, not part of the West Papuan nation and it is they who are the actors of human rights violations in the land of Papua. We call on the United Nations to resolve the Papuan problem, bring the human rights criminals in West Papua [to court] immediately. Theys was a hero of Papuan independence, if this is their bargaining value it's up to them, we know Theys Hiyo Eluay was a hero of Papuan independence."

Kosay explained that the KNPB and the PNWP have carried out an 89 percent consolidation throughout the land of West Papua to boycott the July 9 presidential election. "We will carry out the presidential election boycott by democratic means", he said adding that if there are anarchic acts by certain rogue elements, the KNPB and the PNWP cannot be held accountable as organisations.

It is said that the NKRI was proclaimed on August 17, 1945, but the Papuan people were not involved in this. "Regardless of the agenda of the NKRI, it's not important for the West Papuan nation", said Kosay.

Because of this therefore, he asserted, first, its is very clear that Papua is not part of the NKRI. Second, whoever become the next president of Indonesia they will not pay attention to the plight of the Papuan nation, because they will only murder, rape and steal the natural resources of West Papua.

Third, the call for a boycott of the presidential election is the sole mandate of the people of the Papuan nation in the lead up to the NKRI presidential election in the mature consideration of the people who live in the land of Papua.

Fourth, we will conduct ourselves in accordance with international mechanisms, and this information will be circulated to all the indigenous people of the Papuan nation.

Fifth, today the international community supports the independence struggle of the Papuan people. The Papuan people in various parts of the country will boycott and be supported by all opposition groups in boycotting the 2014 presidential election.

Sixth, we covey our profuse thanks to the people of the Papuan nation in holding the boycott and we predict that of the 70 percent that took part in the legislative elections [on April 9], 30 percent will boycott the presidential elections.

Seventh, on the day the presidential election is held, we hope that the Indonesian military and police will not force the people to take part, and allow the public to interpret democracy in accordance with their individual understanding.

The call for a boycott of the 2014 presidential election in the land of Papua can be read here: http://majalahselangkah.com/content/seruan-knpb-pusat-boikot-pemilu-presiden-ri-9. (HY/SYO/MS)

[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski for the Indoleft news service.]

Source: http://majalahselangkah.com/content/serukan-boikot-pilpres-2014-jubir-knpb-jangan-gadai-persoalan-ham.

These are the 35 generals supporting Jokowi-JK, five are problematic

Bisnis.com - June 6, 2014

Miftahul Khoer, Jakarta – The Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) has disclosed that there are at least 35 retired generals supporting the Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla or Jokowi-JK presidential ticket.

The LBH Jakarta data states that five of the generals supporting the Jokowi-JK ticket, former Indonesian military (TNI) Commander retired General Wiranto, former Jakarta Military Commander retired Lieutenant General Sutiyoso, former State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief retired Lieutenant General A.M. Hendropriyono, former BIN deputy chief retired Major General Muchdi Purwoprandjono and former Army Chief of Staff retired General Ryamizard Ryacudu, are alleged to be problematic.

The dark records released by LBH Jakarta in relation to the five problematic generals include human rights violations, the 1998 Jakarta riots, the alleged massacre in Talangsari Lampung in1989, the murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib and violence during the period of marshal law in Aceh.

In its official information release, LBH Jakarta stated that the involvement of military figures in the 2014 presidential election who are supporting particular presidential and vice presidential candidates (capres-cawapres) poses a danger for political sustainability in Indonesia.

"There is only one 2014 presidential ticket that originates from military circles, namely Prabowo Subianto. But behind both [tickets] there are two groups of former military [figures] that support the respective candidates", read LBH Jakarta's official statement made during a discussion titled The Militarism behind Prabowo and Jokowi on Friday June 6.

According to LBH Jakarta's records, the following is a list of generals supporting the Jokowi-JK ticket:

1. Former Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander and Defense Minister (Panglima ABRI/Menhan) retired TNI General Wiranto

2. Former State Intelligence Agency (BIN) Chief retired TNI Lieutenant General [text missing, A.M Hendropriyono]

3. Former Jakarta Military Commander (Panglima Kodam Jaya) retired Lieutenant General Sutiyoso

4. Former Commander of the Army Education and Training Center (Dankodiklat) retired TNI General Luhut Pandjaitan

5. Former Navy Chief of Staff (KSAL) retired Rear Admiral Tedjo Edi

6. Former Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) retired General Fachrul Rozi

7. Former National Police Chief (Kapolri) retired Police General Da'I Bachtiar

8. Former Strategic Intelligence Agency (Bais) Chief retired TNI Lieutenant General Farid Zainudin

9. Former Strategic Intelligence Agency (Bais) Chief retired Air Force TNI Lieutenant General Ian Santoso

10. Former Bukit Barisan Regional Military Commander (Pangdam) retired TNI Major General Tritamtomo

11. Former Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Central Leadership Board Chairperson retired TNI Major General TB Hasanuddin

12. Former Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) retired TNI General Tyasno Sudarso

13. Former Navy Chief of Staff (KSAL) retired Rear Admiral retired TNI General Bernard Ken Sondakh

14. Former Deputy Army Chief of Staff (Wakil KSAD) retired TNI Lieutenant General Sumarsono

15. Former Indonesian Defense University (Universitas Pertahanan) rector retired TNI Lieutenant General Syarifudin Tippe

16. Former Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) Chief retired TNI Lieutenant General Zainudin

17. Retired TNI Mayor General M. Yusuf Solikin

18. Former Military Staff and Command School (Sesko) Director of Investigations retired TNI Major General Bambang Ismoyo

19. Former Military Academy (Akademi TNI) Governor retired Air Force Major General M. Luthfi Letto

20. Former Director General Procurements (Ranahan) for the Department of Defense, retired Rear Marshal Basri Sidehabi

21. Former Director General of Procurements for the Department of Defense, retired Air Vice Marshal Pieter LD Wattimena

22. Former Eastern Armada Commander retired Rear Admiral Sosialisman

23. Former senior lecturer for economics at the National Resilience Institute (Lemhamnas), retired Rear Admiral Abdul Malik Yusuf

24. Retired Rear Admiral Franky Kaihutu

25. Former East Kalimantan Regional Police Chief (Kapolda) retired Inspector General Andi Masmiat

26. Former senior lecturer at the Police Leadership School (Sespim), National Police Educational Institute (Lemdikpol), retired Inspector General Eddy Kusuma Wijaya

27. Former Maluku Regional State Intelligence Agency Chief (Kabinda) retired TNI General Mulyono

28. Former Director General of Strategic Affairs at the Military Staff and Command School (Sesko) retired TNI Brigadier General Djamhur Suhana

29. Former Navy Research and Development Office Chief (Kadislitbangal) retired Commodore Songkal VH SImanjuntak

30. Former expert staff member, Air Force Chief of Staff (KSAU) retired First Marshal Yopie Kiriweno

31. Former secretary general of 1945 National Executive Committee (Dewan Harian Nasional '45), retired TNI Brigadier General Abdul Salam Mustam

32. People's Consultative Assembly speaker retired Police Inspector General Sidarto Danusubroto

33. Retired Rear Admiral Dadi Sunato

34. Retired Inspector General Edy K

35. Former State Intelligence Agency (BIN) Deputy Chief retired Major General Muchdi Purwoprandjono (who supports the Jokowi-JK ticket through the Indonesian Sun Volunteers)

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service.]

Source: http://m.bisnis.com/pemilu/read/20140606/355/233933/ini-35-jenderal-pendukung-jokowi-jk-5-jenderal-diduga-bermasalah.