--Ugate.Main.A3A0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; name="INDONESI.TXT"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
+------------------------------------------------------+
+ AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL URGENT ACTION BULLETIN +
+ Electronic distribution authorised +
+ This bulletin expires: 5 October 1997. +
+------------------------------------------------------+
EXTERNAL AI Index: ASA 21/61/97
26 August 1997
UA 284/97 Fear of torture/ill-treatment
INDONESIA Yulius Petege
Yahya Pigome
Ben Kotouki
five others (names unknown)
Attempts by the Indonesian security forces to quell disturbances
which began on 21 August 1997 in the Timika area of Irian Jaya (West Papua)
- Indonesia's easternmost province - have resulted in two local
tribespeople being shot dead and 15 others being beaten, in some
cases severely. Among those beaten were eight people belonging
to the Ekari tribe: Yulius Petege, Yahya Pigome, Ben Kotouki and
five others were walking towards Timika airport on 22 August when
they were reportedly beaten by police and taken away in buses.
There is no further information on their whereabouts and there
is concern that they may be at risk of torture or ill-treatment
in custody.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The latest clashes between local people and the security forces
in the troubled area around the US-owned PT Freeport Indonesia
Mine at Tembagapura were sparked off by an incident in which two
local people died and two were injured after apparently falling
or jumping from a truck owned by Freeport on 20 August. A
spokesman for Freeport quoted by Agence France Presse claimed
that the two were victims of a traditional tribal execution.
Local people believe that the deaths require independent
investigation. The deaths fuelled existing high levels of
tension in the area between local people and Freeport over the
disbursement of a trust fund set up by the firm to help tribunal
communities in the area.
On 21 August local people set up a blockade near Timika Airport
to protest about the deaths. Some groups broke away from the
blockade and marched towards the town of Timika Indah where they
attacked the houses of Freeport employees. The following day the
blockade continued. Meanwhile, two groups of people belonging to
the Moni tribe marched to Timika to the office of the local
regent to press their rival claims to the Freeport trust fund.
A quarrel broke out between them, prompting troops from the 733
Patimura Infantry Battalion and members of the police force to
beat the protestors with guns and clubs. Seven people are
reported to have been injured in this clash; no one is reported
to have been arrested.
In another incident on 22 August two people are reported to have
been shot dead when a crowd approached Timika police station to
demand an investigation into the deaths of Nela Pakage and
Akuilan Kotouki (the deaths linked to the incident involving the
Freeport truck, above). Passing the place where Nela Pakage's
body had been found, youths in the crowd threw stones and shot
arrows at troops guarding the spot. The troops opened fire,
hitting Stevanus Tekege (23) in the head and Timotius Koga in the
stomach. According to some reports the troops had been using
rubber bullets.
Indonesia's National Commission for Human Rights (Komisi Nasional
Hak Azasi Manusia - Komnas HAM) has announced that it will
investigate the latest violence in Timika and other longstanding
problems in the area between local people and Freeport.
Opposition to Indonesian rule of Irian Jaya (West Papua), both peaceful and
armed, has continued since authority over the province was
transferred to the Indonesian Government in 1963. Protests, some
involving the Free Papua Movement, Organisasi Papua Merdeka
(OPM), a group advocating independence for the province, have
included armed clashes with the Indonesian Armed Forces,
flag-raising and peaceful demonstrations.
The Indonesian authorities have responded to the opposition with
widespread human rights violations including arbitrary arrests,
"disappearances", extrajudicial executions, torture and the
imprisonment of prisoners of conscience.
In recent years the issue of land and resources, particularly
around the PT Freeport Indonesia Mine at Tembagapura, has
generated discontent. This has focused particularly on the
perceived lack of benefits to the local community from the
Freeport mine and the social and environmental impact of the
mine's presence. In response to mounting protests both nationally
and internationally, Freeport set up a trust fund representing
1 per cent of the mine's profits to be distributed among local
communities. Local church leaders have recently published a
statement demanding that Freeport postpone and review any further
disbursements under the fund because it is creating tension among
local people.
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
+ Supporters of Amnesty International around the world are +
+ writing urgent appeals in response to the concerns +
+ described above. If you would like to join with them in +
+ this action or have any queries about the Urgent Action +
+ network or Amnesty International in general, please +
+ contact one of the following: +
+ +
+ Ray Mitchell, ua@amnesty.org.uk (UK) +
+ Scott Harrison, sharrison@igc.apc.org (USA) +
+ Guido Gabriel, ggabriel@amnesty.cl.sub.de (Germany) +
+ Marilyn McKim, mmckim@amnesty.ca (Canada) +
+ Xavier Zeebroeck, xzeebroek@aibf.be (Belgium) +
+ Anne Nolan, ua@amnesty.iol.ie (Ireland) +
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
--Ugate.Main.A3A0--
