peace brigadesinternational indonesia project · wamena and jayapura a ten year celebration a voice...
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Peace Brigades Internationalmaking space for peace
Indonesia Project
Quarterly Bulletin
February 2010
ContentsContents
Editorial
PBI ten years in Indonesia
Wamena and Jayapura
a ten year celebration
A voice from the past
Thoughts from a field trip
The death of Munir, case
revisited - a review
Domestic violence
workshop
An intervierview with
Pak Septer
Staff profile; Project
Coordinator PBI Indonesia
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Peace
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making space for peace
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Weare now in the first months of 2010, a new year that
presents new opportunities for the Indonesia Project (IP) towork, not only with our established clients and partners, butalso with government officials from Indonesian
departments to embassy staff.
This quarterly bulletin is a means of reflecting upon the people and the projectsthat PBI works with in Indonesia as well as looking back at what PBI hasachieved during 2009.
Before looking to the past we would like to congratulate a former client, DeaconJohn Djonga who received the prestigious Yap Thiam Hien Indonesian humanrights award recently.
Looking back 2009 was a year with many highs and lows for PBI in Indonesia.The last four months of 2009 saw internal as well as external factors combine toresult in the temporary closure of both of our Papuan sub teams. Althoughthese problems proved difficult to overcome, the hard work and dedication fromvolunteers and staff enabled us to re-establish our operations.
Following the return of the Wamena sub-team PBI undertook PPE (ParticipatoryPeace Education) workshops in coordination with BUK (Bersatu UntukKebenaran, United for Truth), a client organisation of the IP. The workshopfocused upon the issue of domestic violence. The first workshop was arrangedfor the local community in the region of Jayawijaya. There is also the plan toundertake a workshop on domestic violence for the local police in Wamena.
Through such programs that work in close cooperation with civil societyorganisations, civil society and government institutions PBI in Indonesiaendeavors to improve dialogue within Papua. An article on the last workshopthat the Wamena Sub-team undertook can be found on page 12.
Meanwhile, the team in Jayapura resumed its normal activities byaccompanying their client, BUK, on two separate occasions. Through PBI’spresence BUK was able to focus upon their work. One of the volunteers fromthe Jayapura team even had the opportunity to interview Pak Septer fromFOKER (Forum Kerjasama Lembaga Sosial Masyarakat Papua, NGO workingForum Papua) for this publication, a PBI client since October 2007.
In order to further the work we do and secure PBI’s presence in both Indonesiagenerally and Papua specifically, a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) wassigned with Komnas HAM Papua (Komisi Nasional Hak Asasi Manusia Papua,National Commission for Human Rights in Papua). An example of PBI workingin cooperation with government agencies to further the human rights agenda inPapua.
During the second half of 2009 and into 2010, the Jakarta sub-team has beenbusy supporting the volunteers in Papua. In addition to fulfilling this role theyare in the process of implementing an advocacy and communications strategy.A component of which specifically relates to producing this very bulletin you arereading. The end of 2009 saw the production of a report on the progress of theMunir case by the Jakarta team. A short review of this case can be found onpage 10.
This bulletin is also an opportunity to welcome new staff to the project. Our newProject Coordinator Emmet O’Malley has been in place since July 2009 and hasbeen adapting wonderfully to the position. He makes his introductions on page17. We also have a new International Volunteer Coordinator (IVC), DianeHendrick.
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This past August, the
Indonesia Projectcommemorated itstenth year of serviceto the people ofIndonesia. In celebration the IPhosted events inWamena, Jayapuraand Jakarta.
Since 1999, nearly200 volunteers from29 countries have
served with the IP, providingProtective Accompaniment(PA) and peace educationservices to 27 Indonesianclients. PBI has also runcountless workshops withvarious civil society groups andIndonesian Governmentdepartments. The IP hasworked in 7 provinces, fromthe westernmost province ofAceh, to Papua on the fareastern fringe of thearchipelago.
PBI first received requestsfrom Indonesian NGO’s for PAin 1998. Following a twomonth exploratory visit toIndonesia PBI established thePBI East Timor Project in Dili inAugust of 1999. However laterthat year, due to widespreadviolence following the EastTimor referendum forindependence, the teamevacuated to Jakarta, Bali,Flores and West Timor. The IPcontinued to provide supportfor client organisations in bothEast and West Timor until theWest Timor sub-team wasformally closed in May 2002.
The first year of the newmillennium saw the expansionof the IP with theestablishment of permanentteams in both Jakarta and
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Banda Aceh. From Jakarta, PBIcould more thoroughlyintegrate with the internationalcommunity and the nationalgovernment of Indonesia.Better integration would leadto better support for PBI clientslike Suciwati, who for yearshas relentlessly sought justicein the case of the 2004assassination of her latehusband, human rightsdefender Munir Sahid Thalib.The Munir case as it is knownis perhaps the highest profilehuman rights case inIndonesia.
PBI opened a second Acehteam in Lhokseumawe in2002, and in the same yearran workshops in Flores andWest Timor on conflictresolution and management.By the summer of 2003, whenthe declaration of Martial lawforced the evacuation of bothsub-teams to Medan, PBI wasserving 7 local NGO’s in Aceh.From Medan and Jakarta, PBIworked hard to providecontinued support to clients inAceh, primarily via frequentcheck in calls to eachorganisation to monitor thesafety and situation of clientsand the civilian population.
The unspeakable tragedy ofthe Boxing Day Tsunami in2004, which left 153,000Acehnese dead and perhaps amillion without home orlivelihood, added newdimensions and pressingdemands to the challenges
facing PBI and our clients. Wewere terribly saddened by theloss of some Indonesiancolleagues in this disaster, andso hardened our resolve toprovide a protective presencefor their organisations whilethey began rebuilding andundertaking the humanitarianand human rights work theywere and are uniquelyqualified to do.
PBI was finally able to return toAceh in January 2005. Eightmonths later, the Aceh PeaceAgreement was signed inHelsinki. This agreementeffectively ended the fightingbetween the armed liberationmovement GAM (GerakanAceh Merdeka, The Free AcehMovement) and the Republicof Indonesia. The agreementalso created the AMM (AcehMonitoring Mission), which wastasked to monitor humanrights and the implementationof the terms of the peaceaccords. The PBI sub-teambased in Banda Aceh workedclosely with the AMM;monitoring clients’ securitywhile at the same timebuilding up networks in theprovince to increasecooperation between local andinternational bodies workingon the peace process, inparticular between the AMMand our client organisations.
As the situation in Acehstabilised PBI received fewerand fewer requests for PA fromour clients, and so we were
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able to focus and expand ourPPE (Participatory PeaceEducation) program. From2006 onwards, the Aceh sub-team ran numerous youthcamps, capacity building,peace building, transparency,and gender equality workshops in cooperation with bothlocal and internationalpartners. PBI formally closedthe Aceh sub-team in 2008with the consent of our clients.Nevertheless, we continue tostay in close contact and tomonitor the situation in Acehwith yearly fieldtrips to theprovince.
Over the past five years PBIhas also had field teams inPapua, one of the mostpolitically unstable regions inIndonesia. In 2004 ElsHam(Lembaga Study dan AdvokasiHak Asasi Manusia, Institutefor the Study and Advocacy ofHuman Rights), a Papuan NGObased in Jayapura, asked tobecome a PBI client. Thefollowing year, after an initialexploratory field trip to Papua,PBI established the Jayapurasub team. The sub teambegan building a securitynetwork, socialising with localNGO’s and governmentauthorities.
PBI decided after muchconsideration that anotherPapuan team based inWamena was necessary toserve the isolated andvulnerable people of thesurrounding Baliem Valley. In
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2006 PBI opened an officethere and the Wamena subteam was created.
PBI has worked with a numberof clients in Papua on issuesranging from impunity, accessto justice, security sectorreform, land rights, naturalresources and cultural/traditional rights. Historically,the Jayapura team has tendedto focus on PA as well asregular field trips to manydifferent cities and villagesaround Papua in support of ourclients. The Wamena team hasfocused predominantly on PPEactivities in partnership withclients and local NGO’s.
In Wamena Peace Day holdsparticular cultural and socialsignificance. Over the past fewyears PBI has helped developand fund events around thiscelebration, culminating in2009’s celebration with amonth of peace relatedactivities, discussions, anddebates all planned andcarried out by local organisersand PBI client organisations.2009 also saw the formalreopening of the Wamenapeace library, which is now runby local staff. The staff hassucceeded in attracting a widerange of people to the librarythrough an expandedcollection of children books,comics, and novels, and aprogram of activities includinghandicrafts, beading, shortstory writing and filmscreenings.
The Jayapura team throughoutits history has providedsupport for PBI clients withoffices all around Papua. In2007 the Jayapura teamvisited clients in Timika for oneweek to socialise with localauthorities and to assess thelocal security situation. Thefollowing year PBI spent tendays with clients in and aroundManokwari, as well as makingvarious other trips with clientsto Merauke and regularlyvisited the Waris district. TheJayapura team made severalfield trips Merauke and toNabire in 2009 to provide aproactive presence for clientslike Emanuel Goo.
No one knows what the futurewill bring in 2010, but we hopeto continue supporting ourclients and provide the sort ofproactive presence and peaceeducation expertise we are
uniquely qualified to give.
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On the 27th ofOctober 2009 theWamena sub team
celebrated the tenthanniversary of PBI in Indonesiawith a bakar batu. This is aPapuan style barbeque madeby cooking meat andvegetables in an earth ovenwhich has been dug into theground.
Preparation of the eventstarted the night before whenour client from BUK and thelibrary staff assisted in thepreparation of a traditionalPapuan dish, buah merah (adish made from the red fuit ofa local palm).
The next morning startedearly, digging the earth oven,roasting the rocks over a fire,and filling the oven with hay,vegetables and meat.
Clients, partners, friends andlibrary children were all invited.
“Before PBI
(arrived) there was
a lot of conflict
between the
community and
the Government.
Now it is safer.”
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Wamena a ten year celebrationAs guests trickled in, theyassisted in carrying thesmoldering rocks which wereplaced over the food beforethe oven was closed.
Bapak Didi from theInternational Labour Organisa-tion (ILO) made the openingspeech. After him PBI gave aspeech thanking everyone forattending and supporting PBIduring our time in Wamena.Father Ishmael then followedthis with a prayer.
Finally the feast started andeveryone sat in a circle in theyard as buah merah, sweetpotatoes, corn, keladi (samefamily as the potato), assortedgreens and chicken wereserved. We ended the mealwith fresh baked cakes whichour resident gourmet chef andvolunteer Carole hadprepared.
During the event PBI
volunteers conducted 22
interviews with a number of
attendees from the event. We
started by discussing their
background. How they came
to know PBI? Through which
activities they collaborated
with PBI? Lastly we talked at
length regarding their most
memorable experiences with
PBI over the past four years
that PBI has been in Wamena
(PBI arrived in Wamena in
2005).
One of the most movingquotes was given by Tinus
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from BUK in Wamena:
“Before PBI (arrived) therewas a lot of conflict betweenthe community and theGovernment. Now it is safer.”
This moving testimony was areminder to us all about whywe do the work that we do,and to know that this work isappreciated.
After everyone had eaten theWamena team prepared ajournal where all attendeeswrote or drew their thoughtson peace, their relationshipwith PBI or life in the BaliemValley.
Overall the celebration was asuccess and everyoneexpressed their gratitude. Wewere happy to watch peoplego with smiles on their faces,content after having eaten somuch.
To celebrate the 10thanniversary of PBI inIndonesia, the Jayapura
sub team invited clients andpartners to their house fordinner. The team spent mostof the day preparing the mealwhich included local delicaciessuch as buah merah and ubi(yam). Among those thatattended were members ofPBI client organisations. Thevice chair of Komnas HAMPapua also attended.
Fortunately several peoplefrom the Jakarta NGOcommunity were attendingworkshops and conferences inJayapura at the time so theJayapura team also invitedthem. These included amongothers, representatives ofKomnas Perempuan (KomisiHak Asasi Manusia Perem-puan, National Commission onViolence against Women), theICTJ (International Center forTransitional Justice) in Jakarta,and IKOHI (Ikatan Keluarga
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Orang Hilang Indonesia,Indonesian Association ofFamilies of the Disappeared).
PBI clients appreciated thechance to get-together in arelaxed social setting, and usedthe opportunity to socialisewith their Jakarta basedcounterparts and represen-tatives of the government ofIndonesia.
The atmosphere was relaxed,conversations ranged fromwork to politics and familiescombining work with pleasure.The house was filled with thesounds of laughter andchatting. After many hours,and after the last guests hadsaid their goodbyes we went tosleep happy in the knowledgethat the night had been a greattriumph.
Jayapura a ten year celebration
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A v
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When were you a
volunteer withthe PBI IP?Where did you
live and work?
Banda Aceh and Wamena 2005-2006.
Coming into your volunteerrole, what were your expec-tations, and how did the realityyou experienced measure up?
From the US, I thought the situationin Indonesia and in PBI was going tobe more dangerous or risky than itturned out to be, assuming I wouldsurvive language school and get tothe field. When I arrived inIndonesia any thoughts aboutdanger faded away as I realisedhow much work I had to do to learnthe language – facing Henky (ateacher at the language school inYogyakarta) without havingmemorised my vocabulary wasenough to wipe out any otherexpectations I had of Indonesia.The peace process was movingreally fast when I arrived in Acehand our team was very busy so Ijust got to work.
Can you recall any particularhigh points, where you reallyfelt that the work you weredoing was making a differenceand having the desired effect?
Some of my richest experienceswith PBI were working with local
human rights activists as theyplanned their human rights andpeace building work. One especiallysignificant experience was when ourfield team coordinated with localhuman rights activists in WestPapua to celebrate TheInternational Day of Peace for thefirst time ever in West Papua as astep in ‘their communitie’smovement for peace’. Our teamoffered enthusiasm and space,however all the planning andimplementation was done by localfolks determined to raise their voicefor peace in this highly volatile area.The day was a huge success! Oneincredible moment that day where Isaw our team truly making spacefor peace was when a local activistheld a discussion about peace andnon-violence that included police,military, students, mothers andlocal activists. They shared theirideas for peace openly with eachother for the first time. As PBIvolunteers, we viewed this momentas one of our most successful – thiswas when we saw positive peacebuilding truly occur.
I remember you telling meabout your experiences in theimplementation of the AcehPeace Agreement. You spokewith great enthusiasm aboutoverseeing the decommis-sioning of GAM weapons. Couldyou tell me more about thatexperience?
A voicefrom the
past
An interview withSarah Gyorog byMichael Mori (PBI)
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Here is an excerpt of something Iwrote at the time:
Yesterday we went to the lastweapons decommissioning eventwhich was completely subdued andsuccessful. GAM has turned in therequired 840 weapons in a verytimely manner and the non organicTNI troops are all leavingaccordingly. Watching the AMM usetheir magical machine (a giantcircular saw) to chop guns intothree pieces was the best thing Ihave ever seen happen with aweapon.
What are some of the importantlessons you took away fromworking with PBI in Indonesia?
I learned so many things as amember of PBI, both professionallyand personally. I remember sittingin the living room of the Aceh housesurrounded by my teammates andthinking ‘I have never beforespoken so much to so many peopleabout my feelings, opinions andthoughts!’ actually, I probably said itout loud and we processed myfeelings. Professionally, I learned about thepower of a network and thatrelationship building is the only wayto really get anything done - I usethat lesson on a daily basis now. Ialso feel more comfortable withinterpersonal conflict, and I have aclear understanding of howconsenus decision making worksand can teach others to use it.
Where did your life take youafter the IP?
I went to Thailand and Malaysia fora few weeks of holiday and thenmoved to St. Louis, Missouri in theUS to spend time with my familywho I had not lived near for manyyears. I came back to Indonesiatwice for a ‘face to face’ and as atrainer and loved every minute ofmy return visits. I had a difficulttime adjusting to life in the US afterPBI and still am not totally adjusted,thank goodness.
What are you doing these days?Do you feel your experienceswith PBI still influencing yourlife and your work?
I am currently working as a‘Restorative Justice Coordinator’with an organisation that serveswomen recently released fromprison who are adjusting to the re-entry process. I think of my days
‘Some of my Richestexperiences with PBIwere working withlocal human rightsactivists as theyplanned their humanrights activities andpeace building work’
with PBI often, and would find itchallenging to truly parse out whichpieces of my worldview come fromworking with PBI and which do not.When working with prisoners orfolks recently released from prison Iwill often call upon a PBI story toillustrate a point or illicit laughter. Asa volunteer, I facilitate an AVP(Alternatives to Violence Project)every month at a medium securityprison here in Missouri, and willnever forget the first full AVP I everfacilitated in a remote office in Acehwith local human rights activists,Kathryn, Nadine, my meagerIndonesian language skills, and riceeveryday for breakfast.
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On July 17, a double bombattack hit the capital, markingthe return of terrorism afterfive years of calm.
Finally, my mission ended justtwo weeks before theInternational Day of NativeIndigenous Populations(August 9). Ethnic Papuanswere preparing to celebratethis day, however they werealso rather worried as on thissame date in 2008, a Papuademonstrator, Opinus Tabuni,was killed by an alleged armybullet which hit him in the
chest. The investigation intothis event has not yet mademuch progress.D
uring 2009,funding enabledPBI France toprogramme amission of ob-
servation for one of the PBIprojects.
We chose the IP because itwas one of the projects whichwe knew the least about andfor which we had been unableto find previous funding, andfor which certain activities suchas the peace educationprogram are more difficult tounderstand.
The objective of theobservation mission was tobetter understand the projectby focusing on the three teams(Jakarta, Jayapura andWamena). Our aim was; tomeet with the organisationswho were being accompaniedand the PBI partners in theirwork situations; to consolidatethe relationship of PBI with theFrench Embassy; to look intonew ways and means ofsupporting and financing thisprogramme.
An Intense Period
My mission took placebetween July 1 – 22, threeweeks in a context which wasparticularly appropriate forunderstanding the political and
human rights situation inIndonesia.
On July 8, the Presidentialelections took place. Teams ofvolunteers and partner NGOgroups were very attentive,especially because five peoplehad been killed in westernPapua during the legislativeelections in April, but alsobecause two of the threePresidential candidates wereaccused of human rightsviolations in East Timor and/orin Jakarta.
‘Two Presidential
candidates were
accused of human
rights violations’
Meeting with the Defenders
I met people from most of theorganisations which werebeing accompanied or werepartners of PBI in Indonesia.All of the conversations wereextremely informative. Someof these reunions wereparticularly significant ormoving.
In Jayapura, I met up withPeneas Lokbere, of BUK,whom I had previously met in
Suciwati widow of deceased human
right activist Munir
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Paris with the PBI France teamin February 2007 for anawareness-raising tour. I wasvery pleased to offer him abook in French about humantight defenders in which hisown testimony was presented.
In Wamena I was fortunate inbeing welcomed by villagers intheir honaï (Papuan style hut).This meeting was even moreinteresting since PBI was thefirst to meet with these men inthis place. I left them with thepromise to share theirtestimony in France, andfurther beyond if possible, in
had the occasion to be avolunteer myself.Despite their very busyschedules, all the volunteerswelcomed me with a greatdeal of kindness and madethemselves available to an-swer my questions, introduceme to organisations andhuman rights activists, andtranslate my conversations. Ihad the impression that I wassharing the same life as them(‘check-in calls,’ errands, andthe never-ending wait at theticket gate at the Wamenaairport included!), all of whichhelped me in presenting thisproject to future Frenchvolunteers. From the urbanrhythm of Jakarta, to the‘extreme conditions’ ofJayapura (stultifying heat,haphazard supply of elec-tricity), to the open house ofWamena, I had the impressionthat I better understood theassigned roles for each teamand the different contexts ofintervention. This experiencehas also enabled me to find aFrench volunteer with whomPBI France was able to be incontact for several monthsbefore his departure.
Conclusion
As far as I'm concerned, thiswas a very successful mission.I was able to collect a largeamount of information which Ihope to be able to share withthe PBI France team so we canimprove our actions in supportof the IP.
The preparation of my visit incoordination with the coordi-nation team in Yogyakarta andthe welcome I received fromthe volunteers in Indonesiaallows me to believe that thistype of observation mission isalso a help to them, since theycan better understand theneeds of the PBI countrygroups, as diversified as we
Positive outcomes
The fieldtrip to Indonesia inJuly was not only anopportunity for Anne and theFrench Country Group to gaina better understanding on theIP and how PBI works inIndonesia, but was also andequally importantly a chancefor Anne to meet the clientsand partners that we workwith.
As a result of Anne’s trip toIndonesia, Suciwati showed aninterest in going to France as partof the advocacy work she does onbehalf of her late husband Munir.The IP and the French countrygroup have worked closelytogether to make this happen.Suciwati will be going toFrance in February. A positiveoutcome from a positive trip!
Anne Boucher with Antoine (PBI),
Paulus Asipalek and Theo
Hesegem (JAPH&HAM)order to help bring them out ofthe isolation to which they feelthey have been relegated.In Jakarta, on the last day ofmy mission, I met Suciwati,the wife of Munir, a humanrights activist who had beenpoisoned in 2004; I had heardabout Munir during the entiretime of my mission since hiscase was emblematic andpivotal for the evolution ofhuman rights in Indonesia.Suci and I spoke about thepossibility of a visit to France inthe beginning of 2010, whenshe comes to Europe toreceive the ‘Right LivelihoodAward’ for her untiring combatfor justice during the past sixyears.
In rhythm with the volunteers
One of the main highlights ofthis mission was that I couldparticipate as much as possiblein the lives of the volunteers,especially since I had never
‘As fas as I’m
concerned this
was a very
successful
mission’
are, and can think about waysof reinforcing our commonwork.(Article Anne Boucher, PBIFrance coordinator /Translation - French to Englishby Virginia Hekinian, PBI)
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Munir SaidT h a l i b ,Indones ianhuman rightsactivist and a
founder of KontraS (Komisiuntuk Orang Hilang danKorban Tindak Kekerasan,Commission for theDisappeared and Victims ofViolence)and Imparsial (TheIndonesian Human RightsMonitor), was murdered inSeptember 2004. He died on aGaruda Airlines flight toSchiphol from Arsenicpoisoning.
Since the murder of Munir in2004 there have been anumber of court trials leadingto three convictions: The firsttwo concern Garuda staff IndraSetiawan and former GarudaChief Secretary Pilot RohainilAini who have both beensentenced to one year inprison for assisting in hismurder. Additionally - after along judicial marathonincluding conviction, acquittaland renewed conviction –Pollycarpus the personaccused of the assassination ofMunir was finally sentenced to20 years in prison.
Despite receiving anonymousthreats, Suciwati, along withKASUM (Komite AksiSolidaritas Untuk Munir, ActionCommittee in Solidarity forMunir) and supported by civilsociety actors, continue thestruggle to find justice for
Munir. The culmination of sixyears of Police investigationand advocacy work resulted ina watershed for theIndonesian legal system. Adecade earlier, it would havebeen unimaginable thatsomeone from BIN (BadanIntelijen Negara, NationalIntelligence Agency) yet alonea member of Indonesia’spolitical and military elitewould ever see the inside of acourtroom as a defendant.However, in 2008, one decadeon from the fall of the Suhartoregime, prosecutors haddecided that this former seniorBIN official was complicit in theassassination of Munir.
judges convened in thecourtroom and passed sen-tence. The verdict was that ofnot guilty.
The state prosecution filed acase against Muchdi Purwo-pranjono, former head of BINin 2008. The prosecutioncharged Muchdi with master-minding the murder of Munirbut they were very careful toisolate Muchdi – stating that hehad acted on his ownindividual volition. On December 31, 2008, the
At the time civil societyactivists expressed concernthat although there had beensome convictions in the Munircase, the failure to convict thetop level orchestrators of themurder was indicative ofIndonesia’s culture of politicalimpunity.
The initial appeal against theacquittal of MuchdiPurwopranjono started almostimmediately. The appeal wasbrought to the Supreme Courtin January 2009 and sought tooverturn the decision of theSouth Jakarta District Courtbut the appeal was rejected.The prosecution was neverofficially informed that theappeal was rejected and is
‘A decade earlier it
would have been
unimanagable that
someone from
BIN... would ever
see the inside of a
courtroom as a
defendent’
Pollycarpus trial (2008)
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even now awaiting the officialwritten report which explainsthe reasoning behind thisjudgement. Although there isa certain degree ofdespondency about theSupreme Court judgement,Suciwati and the team ofpeople working on the caseare more determined thanever to fight on. This is not thefirst time that Suciwati hasfaced what appear to beinsurmountable odds.Suciwati and the legal teamfrom KASUM have seen it allbefore. It took four years tosuccessfully get Pollycarpusconvicted. They are willing tocontinue working tirelessly toensure the conviction ofMuchdi.
Throughout the trial theyexpressed dissatisfaction withthe way the case againstMuchdi was prosecuted.
The results of this tactic maynot be realised for another sixmonths or more. If there isanother trial, it will be the lastopportunity to prosecuteMuchdi at the national level sothey are unwilling to make anyrash mistakes.
In the meantime Suciwati willcontinue advocating for herlate husband, raising theprofile of the Munir case in aneffort to exert political pressureon the judicial system ofIndonesia. In February of 2010Suciwati will be attending ahuman rights conference inIreland.
murder.
Muchdi previously pressedsimiliar charges under article314 of the Indonesian criminalcode in 2005 against TimPencari Fakta (Fact-FindingTeam) officials who wereinvestigating the Munir case.Should the upcoming appealscase against Muchdi fail thenUsman Hamid will almost bydefault be found guilty ofdefamation.
The second charge thatUsman faces under article 310of the Indonesian criminalcode, is that of slander. ShouldUsman be found to be guilty ofslander he faces a maximumprison sentence of ninemonths or a maximum fine of300,000 USD.
The current situation
It is now January 2010 andSuciwati and KASUM are stillundertaking a multi-prongedadvocacy strategy which aimsto see a retrial of the Muchdicase. To this end, and beforeany review of the SupremeCourt’s decision is launched,Suciwati and KASUM want tochange the state prosecutorassigned to the Muchdi case.
Defamation charges
On January 9th 2009 Muchdifiled charges using articles 310and 314 of the Indonesiancriminal code against UsmanHamid current head of KontraSfor defamation. The chargesrelate to a statement thatUsman allegedly madefollowing the acquittal ofMuchdi at his trial forinvolvement in the Munir
Demonstrators and police at the
Muchdi trial (2008)
Suciwati at the Muchdi trial
(2008)
PBI volunteer monitoring
the Muchdi trial
(2008)
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In December theWamena sub-teamstarted to plan for a
series of workshops ondomestic violence in thevillages surrounding Wamena.These were planned togetherwith PBI client BUK, the PBIPeace Resource Center staffand PBI friends. Domesticviolence in the region iswidespread and in earlyDecember, the idea to do filmscreenings and discussions inthe villages was developed.
The first activity, in mid-December, took place in thevillage of Musatfak, locatedabout 40 minutes outside ofWamena. Initially, the activitywas planned for 20-30 people,but eventually more than 150gathered. A short film aboutviolence against women inPapua was followed by a shorttheater play the volunteersand the facilitators hadprepared. This role play, gavean example of domesticviolence between a man andhis wife. The story was thebasis for the whole peacediscussion which followed. Thetwo hour discussion, facilitatedby PBI client BUK and thelibrary staff, focused uponalcohol consumption and itsimpact on domestic violence.Alcohol was continuouslymentioned as one of the mainreasons for violence in thehousehold.
The second activity in thevillage of Pelebaga took placein mid-January in Pelebaga, avillage situated about one hourfrom Wamena. At this eventthe Wamena sub-teamdecided to use a differentapproach. An extract of a filmabout Indonesian womenliving in conflict zones was
shown. It was decided that therole play would be extendedand new topics included. Theaim was to focus thediscussion on a differentaspect of domestic violence.Approximately 80 peoplejoined the activity,.Unfortunately there were notas many female participants asin the first workshop. BUKbelieves Pelebaga has a majorproblem with domestic abuseand throughout the discussionthe facilitators faced difficultiesin making the womenparticipate. Nonetheless, theactivity was perceived as asuccess by the facilitators.
Since many women, old andyoung, attended both events,the facilitators are convincedthat the activities had animpact and that participantswill continue talking about theissue of domestic violence inthe future. Considering thesuccess of the first twodomestic violence activities,the facilitators are keen tocontinue with the filmscreenings in other villages. Inorder to empower thefacilitators and help build theircapacity, a workshop wasorganised by the Wamenasub-team and facilitated byPBI partner YSBA (YayasanSilimo Bina Adat, Silimo (aPapuan language) to BuildCustom) to improve theirfacilitation skills. Thefacilitation workshop focusedon the difference betweenteaching and facilitating, therole of a facilitator and thedifficulties that facilitators canface. Participants of theworkshop found it really usefuland are looking forward tousing their improved skills forfurther domestic violenceworkshops in other areas.
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Pak Septer, you were recently re-elected head of Foker, which represents 118 localorganisations. What is your vision for the future of Foker?
Foker is now one of the biggest NGO’s in Papua. It started from a union of church leaders, scholars,local NGO’s and female activists. It acts as an amplifier for the voices of Papuans. It highlights thework of Papuan NGO’s [at the local, national and international scale] and raises issues concerningproblems that Papuans experience.
Foker works on six main issues: Access to justice and human rights violations; Exploitation of naturalresources; Good governance; Health careand HIV/AIDS; Violence towardswomen and children; Indigenouspeople’s rights.
In 2009, Foker focused its advocacywork on two themes; human rightscases and the exploitation of naturalresources. We link the exploitation ofnatural resources to international issuessuch as climate change and globalisation. For instance, we started a campaign called “Save theforest and the People of Papua.” We have advocated for this on the local, national and internationallevel. Foker thinks that the Papuan environment, the forests and the environmental resources are tooimportant to be slashed down and must be protected.
We also continually review the special autonomy law. When this law was implemented it was seen asa win-win solution between Jakarta and Papua. However we realised that it didn’t stop thecorruption or the murder of Papuans. Now weare aware that the implementation ofSpecial Autonomy has failed. In its currentform it cannot be a solution to theproblems of Papua. The centralauthorities need to create a newcommitment which benefits all Papuans.
In 2010 Foker wil bel focusing onresearching a new mechanism for Papuangovernance. We believe that a solutioncan only be found through dialogue withJakarta. This will be one of the corethemes that we shall work on in 2010. Wewill support the leaders of churches,women’s group and traditional groups increating a dialogue between the Papuancommunity and Jakarta. In parallel [tothis], we will continue to advocate atdifferent levels on issues related toHuman Rights, natural resources and therights of the traditional communities.Continuing the work we were doing in2009.
Can you describe some of the main aspects ofFoker’s work?
The main issues that Foker works on are related toHuman Rights and natural resources. For example inrelation to human rights; on the one hand, the Papuancommunity is a victim of a discriminative legal system.On the other hand, the authorities stigmatise humanrights defenders, student activists and pro-democracygroups as separatists.
In relation to natural resources FOKER is advocatingagainst there exploitation. On one side there is theindigenous population who claims to own the ground, butthe authorities pretend that the state has to dominate theland and exploit these resources for the prosperity of ‘thepeople’. When Papuans refuse to leave the land they own[according to customary laws] they are stigmatised asseparatists, or as opposing development. This is whensecurity forces are often sent in to handle this issue of
conflicting land rights.
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An interview with PBI client PakSepter by Patrick Stuby (PBI)FOKER
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In March, you mentioned that Fokerwould be working together with ElsHAM(Institute for Human Rights Studies andAdvocacy) and the ICTJ (InternationalCenter for Transitional Justice) to carry outa survey among the Papuan population .You mentioned that the aim of this survey would be to gather views about having a KKR(Truth and Reconciliation Commission) established in Papua. Has this survey beenstarted?
This survey consists of gathering local communities together to get their perspective on justice andpeace. This survey hasn’t started because of logistical problems, especially because of the size ofthe island (Papua). However, this project gave us the opportunity to collaborate and benefitfrom these institutions in the form of training on investigation and how to managedocumentation on human rights. This knowledge will be used when we do the survey.
In December 2009, ICTJ and Elsham organised a public consultation on theconstitutional law in relation to KKR. This happened in Jayapura and localleaders were invited. Their inputs have been collected and will be sent toJakarta. These organisations plan to have the KKR law reviewed beforeundertaking work on the planned survey.
The first aim of Foker is to push for dialogue. Through this we hope to decrease thelevel of vertical violence [shooting, murders] that occurs in Papua. The second aim is toimprove the situation through good governance initiatives. The authorities need to be onthe side of their people so that Papuans receive the benefits of development and don’t becomeits victims.
In 2009 a Human Rights coalition was formed with you as its head. Can you tell us aboutthis coalition?
This coalition was created at the initiative of a number of Churches operating in Papua. Together theyrealised that a team was needed to deal with special human rights cases. This commission deals withissues such as the arbitrary arrest of Papuans in Puncak Jaya, Manokwari, Fak-Fak, Yapen, Abepura,Paniai and Jayapura. This coalition is composed of churches, NGO’s, women’s groups and traditionalleaders. Through coming together human rights groups are stronger and in a better position toadvocate on cases. Organisations benefit as well from being in this coalition through the legitimacy thatthe Church enjoys. The Coalition advocates especially on cases where people are arrested and judgedfor Makar (treason).
In July, 6 prisoners in Timika and 11 other in Nabire were finally released because the Coalition showedthat there was a lack of evidence. The civilian authorities have to react to this fact. The Governor andthe DPRP (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Provinsi, Papuan Regional Parliament) were urged to take actionand use their power to stop the misuse of the MAKAR law. However we believe that the MAKAR law is
still being misused.
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FOKER
In November 2009, Foker organised a congress on forestry with local NGO’s inJayapura. What are the results of this congress?
The Declaration that this congress made was: 1. A refusal to sell land2. A refusal to convert the forest into extensive agricultural land3. An acknowledgement of the global importance of the Papuan forest as the third largest onearth (it is for this reason that the international community has to commit to protect the Papuanforest).
According to their culture, Papuans don’t own land privately but communally. This land thereforecannot be sold. Philosophically, Papuans consider the land as their mother. They benefit from itsprotection. They need it for their prosperity and for their very existence. The land is a is the symbolof Papuans cultural values. It is for this reason they wont sell land to people they don’t share bloodwith. If the land is needed by the government, they would accept a short term lease (for 20 or 30years), however there have to be clear rules.
One of the mottos of the congress inNovember was; “No Rights, No REDD”. REDDstands for Reduced Emission fromDeforestation and Degradation. The Papuanpeople need to benefit from this protection,not only the government.
After this congress finished representatives from Foker went toJakarta to present the results to several Embassies.
Which embassies did you meet and howdid the embassies react to the Fokerpresentation?
Six people including me prepared the briefingsin Jakarta. We met several Embassies: TheUS, British, Swiss, Dutch, South African, Norwegian, Australian, German Embassies and the NewZealand. The meeting with the Finish Embassy didn’t take place. This is the first time theyresponded to a visit by Papuan civil society. We socialised the six main issues which Foker wasfocusing upon in Papua in 2009. They gave a very positive response with the recommendation thatthey want to lower violence in Papua through dialogue between the government of Indonesia andPapuan society.
The embassies will support this dialogue. But no concrete promises were given. The issue ofdialogue is quite a sensitive one and Embassies are very careful when discussing it.
“We need to sit and resolve these
problems without violence”
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FOKER
In November 2009 the government of Indonesia and INGO(International Non Governmental Organisations) gathered in Jayapurafor a congress about Biodiversity. Do the results and aims of this congressmatch with those of the forestry congress?
Foker didn’t take part in the congress on biodiversity. The congress only talked about theinterests of the Indonesian government and of INGO’s. I consider it as a self-promotioncongress. They forgot to include the rights of the local population.
SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) has been re-elected President of Indonesia. Whatare your thoughts concerning his re-election?
I believe what was missing was a better candidate. However in the circumstances it was wise tore-elect him as President of Indonesia. The population of Papua has big expectations of him. Theyhope he will help change their situation. We need him to look at the problems of Papua in aclever way. We need to sit and resolve these problems without violence. So far, what he haspromised [for Papua during the campaign] hasn’t happened yet. We hope that the dialogue[between Papua and Jakarta] will be taken up again and we need a third party who acts asa mediator in this process. SBY needs to look for consensus within the Papuan communityand also to follow a concept of dialogue. It is important that the government opens aspace for such dialogue. LIPI (Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia, IndonesianInstitute of Science) has already been chosen to assume this function and hasstarted the basic analysis. Several Papuan pastors wrote books and havecontributed to this analysis.
Last month, you told PBI that Foker was planning to help initiate aPapua-Jakarta dialogue.
In this process of dialogue, the role of Foker is more internal to Papua. We work ongiving knowledge to Papuan society about this process of dialog and we try to makethem aware of the consequences of this process. Basically, this is a work of consolidation.
What is your view about the general human rights situation in Papua right now?
There are still many intelligence operations. This results in violence against the local population.These activities always create human rightsviolations.
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You are now almost six months in yourposition as Project Coordinator for the
Indonesia Project. What firstinterested you about working
for PBI in Indonesia?
During the ten years I havenow spent in Indonesia, Ibecame friends withmany ex-volunteersand more and moreacquainted with thework of PBI. At first, Iwas a little skeptical;to be honest, I hadan aversion to usethe word ‘peace’ inany title as it oftencreates expectationsthat appear out ofreach to those thatare experiencingconflict and for whom
it has become a dailyreality. However, the
more I had contact withPBI and the more I learnt
about the IP project and howvolunteers work with all sides of
a divide in a respectful manner,the more I became impressed.
Another striking quality for me is the high-level of training that the volunteers receive,and that the volunteers that do come throughPBI often have a strong connection andcultural understanding with Indonesia andthe political context they are working in.
What first attracted you to work inIndonesia?
Primarily, it was the author, JosephConrad. I loved reading Lord Jim,which was largely influencedby the novelist’s seafaringyears in this region. I canremember vividly themoment I was offered aposition in Indonesia, itwas while cyclingthrough an area ofAmsterdam calledDe Pijp. I received aphone call offeringme a two-yearcontract withAustralian VolunteersAbroad to work as aphotographer in therainforests of Borneofor an indigenouspeoples’ NGO.Although, the decisionto leave friends andfamily was difficult, beinggiven the opportunity toexplore the land depicted inConrad’s novels, resistance to theproposition was going to be useless!Another important reason which broughtme to Indonesia, stemmed from a growingawareness of environmental issues, andabuses at the hands of multi-nationals.Looking back now, having the chance to getinvolved in some way and support forestcommunities was one of the greatest
gifts I have received.
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An interview with
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What are your aims fordeveloping the projectover the next year anda half?
What is striking aboutIndonesia in the 21stcentury is its newconfidence; people arenow becoming more openabout talking about thepositives of their countryas well as discussingissues that are faced bymarginalised communities.This new spirit ofopenness will hopefullytranscend throughoutsociety and also make animpact on the HumanRights situation, creatingnew opportunities to
expand peacebuilding activities in Indonesia over thecoming years. As with much peacebuilding work muchof what PBI does is about creating awareness andopening doors and creating room for dialogue.Therefore, an important aspect of our work will be toutilise this period of openness by providingopportunities for Human Rights Defenders to tell theirsstories and be listened to, whether it takes place inJakarta or abroad.
What has been thehighlight of your timeworking for PBI inIndonesia?
Internally, within ourorganisation, it was reallytouching to see fellow PBIcolleagues pull-togetherthrough difficult periodswith a common sense ofpurpose for supportingour clients. Externally, it was witnessing our clientsoffering support for us in Wamena, inPapua’s central highlands. At a time whenthere was a lot of confusion about how tosustain our work in the current politicalenvironment (something I believe, that is auniversal theme in all protection work), onemorning in came these beautiful characterswho hand-wrote some endearing wordsabout how much PBI meant to them andtheir community – breathtaking!
Have your experiences working as ProjectCoordinator in Indonesia met theexpectations you had before starting yourcontract?
So far the work involved has far exceeded myexpectations! The work really appeals to one’ssense of enquiry. Every day there is somethingnew to learn whether it concerns of the HumanRights situation inIndonesia, networking orthe team dynamics withinour own organisation.Although it is verychallenging, I believe thebeauty of such work (andmaybe for slightly selfishreasons too!) is that themore one beginsunderstanding aboutothers around you(whether clients, partnersor colleagues) - the more
one learns about oneself.
How do you think the project hasdeveloped during your time as ProjectCoordinator for the Indonesia Project?
I think we are evolving and now on the road todeveloping as a project, as Indonesia too,develops further. I see the previous six monthsas an important time in laying down thefoundations for a stronger organisation as well
as building ties withauthorities and promotingthe good work of PBI.There is still a long way togo – as always - but Ibelieve that through hard-work a lot can beachieved.
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Peace Brigades International, founded in 1981 in Canada, is an international NGO inspired by Gandhiand non-violent traditions. PBI uses protective accompaniment through international presence andnon-violent action to deter politically motivated violence and expand space for Human Rights andpeace activism in areas of civil conflict and repression. On invitation of local organisations, PBI sendsteams of trained volunteers into areas of conflict to provide international presence and protectiveaccompaniment. Currently, PBI works in five countries: Colombia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Mexicoand Nepal.
IP Mandate
To contribute to positive peace-building and the improvement of the Human Rights situation inIndonesia through a proactive international presence, committed to the principles of non-violenceand non-partisanship.
Strategic Objectives of the IP
1. Increased peaceful space in which civil society can operate and grow
2. Improved space for dialogue among different levels of society to promote greater mutualunderstanding as a means for building peace and respecting Human Rights
3. Increased awareness among the Indonesian authorities and the international community about the development of the Human Rights situation in Indonesia
4. Enhanced participation and empowerment of civil society actors working for social justice andHuman Rights
5. End the need for the PBI Indonesia Project
The views expressed by third-parties are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of PBI.
Jakarta Sub Team
T/F +62 21 391 [email protected]
Papua Sub Team
T/F +62 967 [email protected]
Wamena Sub Team
T/F +62 969 [email protected]
Coordination OfficeT/F +62 969 32816
Peace Brigades InternationalIndonesia Project making space for peace