Two West Papuans have been charged with treason after being arrested by Indonesian police for staging a demonstration in Jayapura on Monday.

Photo: Supplied

The Jayapura demonstration was one of more than 14 rallies in Indonesian cities, calling for West Papuan rights to self-determination to be respected.

More than 500 people were reported to have been arrested for participating in the rallies.

While the vast majority were released later in the day, two arrested in the Papua provincial capital have been charged.

Photo: Supplied

Hosea Yemo and Ismael Alua are reportedly members of the West Papua National Committee, (KNPB), the pro-independence representative group which organised some of the rallies.

Papua provincial police said the two were arrested after allegedly inciting sedition or treason against the state, and provoking other participants of the rally to commit treason.

A treason charge could lead to a jail term of up to 15 years in Indonesia.

Photo: Supplied

Police said that from the Jayapura demo, they also found 1kg of hashish at the KNPB's premises, and confiscated a number of weapons from the crowd.

Law and order has been maintained in the cities and the situation was back to normal, according to police who said they avoided using excessive force in handling the demonstrations.

However, Jakarta-based human rights monitoring groups have condemned intimidation and violence by police officers in the Jayapura rally.

Photo: Tabloid Jubi

The Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy, and its local partner in Papua, Elsham Papua, said it condemned intimidation and violence by police officers against photographic journalist Whens Tebay during the rally.

Mr Tebay said police arrested, interrogated and hit him, later confiscated his camera and forced him to erase all photos taken during the rally.</s>Jakarta-based based human rights watchdog Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (Elsam) and its local partner in Papua, Elsham Papua, have condemned intimidation and violence by police officers against activist Whens Tebay during mass arrests in West Papua this week, reports the Jakarta Post.

The two groups said Whens went to monitor the rally, which was held to promote West Papuan independence, before the police forcibly dispersed it.

More than 500 people were arrested during the self-determination protests on the 55th anniversary of Indonesia’s military takeover of the region on Monday.

Thousands marched across the region to support West Papuan freedom and to condemn decades of brutal treatment of indigenous Melanesians by Indonesia, reports TeleSur.

A total of 528 people, including several children were arrested in the peaceful rallies across Indonesia’s most eastern province of Papua. A number had already been detained the night before the planned protests and activists reported that a number of people were beaten and badly injured before being arrested.

Activists also said that several who were detained were interrogated without a lawyer and at least one protester was tortured by Indonesian police.

Journalists were banned from several areas and the headquarters of the West Papua National Committee in Jayapura was vandalised.

15 locations

Demonstrations took place in at least 15 locations and several people were arrested after applying for demonstration permits with authorities, according to civil rights lawyer Veronica Koman, who is representing independence activist Filep Karma.

Karma has been detained since 2004 for peacefully protesting for his people’s independence.

“This year alone over 4800 people have been unlawfully arrested and many others killed and tortured by the Indonesian military and police,” said exiled West Papua independence leader Benny Wenda in a statement.

Monday’s protests coincided with the anniversary of “Operation TRIKORA,” which was carried out when the Indonesian government invaded West Papua on December 19, 1961, after Melanesian West Papuans first raised their Morning Star flag on December 1.

The region was then annexed by Indonesia in 1969 in a controversial referendum after winning independence from Dutch colonialism in 1963. Independence supporters say that the 1969 annexation is illegal and that Indonesian control has amounted to genocide.

Indigenous West Papua Sends Solidarity to Standing Rock

Throughout Indonesia’s hard rule of the mineral-rich area, around half a million Melanesian West Papuans are thought to have been killed by Indonesian authorities and pro-independence supporters face restrictions of movement and assembly, media blackouts, and many also have been held as political prisoners.

Protesters were also throwing their support behind the full membership of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, ULMWP, to the Melanesian Spearhead Group, MSG. The group includes other Melanesian nations, Vanuatu, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

A meeting is due to be held this month in Vanuatu to discuss membership, which would give West Papua an international platform to push for independence.

A number of nations from the MSG have already publicly backed West Papua’s struggle for self-determination and condemned Indonesian human rights abuses in the area.</s>Jakarta (AsiaNews) – Mass arrests marked the 55th anniversary of the military campaign that led to the annexation of Papua to Indonesia.

On Monday, police detained hundreds of people across the country on charges of "separatism” for participating in protests against the government.

Veronica Koman, who represents Papua pro-independence movement known as Filep Karma, said that most arrests were made in Jakarta, on Sulawesi and in Papua.

Police raided the offices of the Papua pro-independence movement in the provincial capital of Jayapura in Papua. Some 50 activists who were demonstrating peacefully were arrested in Jakarta.

For a long time, Papua (the western part of New Guinea) was the only province that remained under Dutch control.

In 1969, through the so-called ‘Act of free choice’, the population opted for annexation to Indonesia, followed by an Indonesian military campaign. However, many believe that the "referendum" was orchestrated by Jakarta.

Existing separatist movements have called for Papua’s independence. These groups argue that the province is the scene of a "slow-motion genocide" against ethnic minorities and Christians.

Locals complains about bad governance in one of Indonesia’s least developed province in terms of communications and transportation. Local villages speak different dialects and remain isolated from the rest of the province.

Separatist activists are calling for a new referendum to allow Papua’s indigenous population to vote. Jakarta has always rejected this demand, claiming that it is the result of pressures from foreign powers interested in Papua’s immense underground wealth (oil, gas, gold, etc.).

Last October, Indonesian President Joko Widodo decided to introduce price controls for petrol in Papua where, for logistical reasons, costs are 14 times higher than the rest of the country.

The decision has angered Pertamina, Indonesia’s state oil and gas company, but was greeted with joy by locals.</s>On Monday, Indonesian authorities arrested more than five hundred protesters in West Papua. Most were released the same day, but now there’s news that two activists have been charged with treason, which is punishable by up to fifteen years in prison. We have more from Neal Conan in today’s Pacific News Minute.

On December 19th, 1961, Indonesia’s President Sukarno sent troops to annex the western half of New Guinea, amid the collapse of the Dutch colonial empire. 55 years later, an independence movement in what’s now known as West Papua, charges that Indonesia seized the territory illegally and demands a UN plebiscite. Monday’s demonstrations in 14 cities were just the latest in a long series. By one count, more than five thousand people have been arrested at peaceful demonstrations this year alone. Indonesia regards calls for self-determination as treasonous separatism, and lawyer Gustaf Gawer told the Jakarta Post that his clients, Hosea Yemo and Ismael Alua now face allegations of treason and provoking others to commit treason. The two are members of the West Papua National Committee, which helped organize the protests.

The issue of West Papua has paralyzed the Melanesian Spearhead Group, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and the Kanak Liberation Front of New Caledonia want full membership for West Papua’s United Liberation Movement, while Fiji and Papua New Guinea back Indonesia. This week, MSG foreign Ministers are meeting in Port Vila after a summit meeting to decide the issue was postponed yet again. Vanuatu’s Prime Minister, Charlot Salwai told West Papuan activists that Vanuatu cannot be completely free of its colonial bondage, until all of Melanesia is free.</s>“Vanuatu is not free until all of Melanesia is free”—Vanuatu Govt reiterates its support for Papuan independence to MSG leaders

“Free West Papua” graffiti on cement walls around town sums up Vanuatu’s Christmas wish for its Melanesian brothers and sisters meeting now in Port Vila. Welcoming independence leaders from the Indonesian ruled territory, Prime Minister Charlot Salwai reiterated Vanuatu’s strong stand in favour of independence for West Papua—and for French Polynesia and New Caledonia. Vanuatu’s stance on decolonization remains as strong as it was during our own independence 36 years ago. West Papua campaigner, Benny Wenda, told Daily Post of the Melanesian spirit which binds the people of Melanesia in their attempt to be granted full membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group. Demonstrations to this effect have been taking place in West Papua and it is reported that one demonstrator was killed and 528 arrested, recently, including six children of less than ten years of age.

It is good news to have 117 successful applicants for Vanuatu Government scholarships. The National Scholarships and Training Board is seeing to it that Vanuatu is fulfilling some of its responsibilities in the area of further education for Ni-Vanuatu and not just leaving it to friend foreign governments. The selection has been made in areas which have not been highly represented in the past, it is reported, such as health, infrastructure, land, climate change and environment. (Daily Post)

A start has been made on the payouts to civil servants owed severance and other final employment payments. All departments and services are affected. Noteworthy are members of the uniformed services, health professionals and teachers for whom there has been considerable support promised. Just over Vt 1 billion will enter the economy with these payments. (Daily Post)

Schools start classes again on February 13 with the new school year. (Daily Post)</s>Pretty and popular Giaa Manek, who is still remembered for playing Gopi on Star Plus’ long running popular show Saath Nibhana Saathiya not only enjoys a great number of fan following in India but she also enjoys a great fan following globally.

Recently, the love of her fans in Indonesia, took her back to Saathiya days and she relived ‘Gopi.’ Wonder what are we talking about? Read on -

Popular Indonesian channel ANTV is currently airing Saath Nibhana Saathiya dubbed in Indonesian language with a new title – ‘Gopi.’ The show is getting a good response from the Indonesian audience and taking into account Giaa’s popularity, ANTV had invited Giaa for a meet and greet session with her fans in Indonesia and she also shot for two shows and was invited as a guest celebrity for two reality shows as well.

When we contacted Giaa to learn more about her Indonesian trip, she added, “It’s been an excellent experience. The Indonesian audience love Gopi and Saathiya is currently the Number 1 show on the Indonesian Channel ANTV. People are crazy for me as Gopi and it was found that I have the maximum number of fan following in a recent poll conducted by the channel.”

She continued, “I also shot for 2 Indonesian series Gara-Gara Duyung and Jin Dan Jun and was invited as a guest celebrity in two reality shows – TMO (Take Me Out) and Pesbukers. They had made me Mermaid and a Ginnie for their series which took me back to my Ginnie Aur Juju days. It was my first visit to Indonesia and I had great time working with the channel. They were quite well organised.”

Giaa was overwhelmed to receive so much love from the fans and she is very happy for the response she has got in Indonesia. She told us, “The fans were crazy. Many of them found the address of my hotel where I was staying and the location where I was shooting and they came to meet me and some of them even came during mid-night. They showered me with lots of gifts like Indonesian clothes, handbags, etc. Overall, it’s been a fun experience for me.”
Two activists are arrested in Indonesia for advocating West Papuan independence.