Papua New Guinea Raises Concerns Over Arms Smuggling At Indonesian Border

BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific
February 21, 2011

Text of report by Papua New Guinea newspaper The National website on 21 February

[Article by Isaac Nicholas: 'Weapons smuggling a concern']

Western law enforcement authorities have raised concerns about arms smuggling into the province from Australia and Indonesia, saying it is a threat to national security.

Provincial Police Commander Peter Philip said his men had confiscated arms ranging from high-powered semi-automatic weapons to small arms and shotguns.

“Makkareso” Enthusiasm of Bugis Merchant

This article is encouraging in the light of multiculturalism in West Papua


The burnt down of Hamadi Central Market in Jayapura city, Papua, in 2006, could not be easily erased from Daeng Said’s (51) memory. It destroyed his asset in value of IDR 1 billion, a result of 20 years struggle in Papua.

If I don’t remember that faith in this life has been written by God Almighty, I would have gotten stressed out and mad, said the man from Pangkep, South Sulawesi.

Pasir Putih Beach

A soft white sandy beach with clear water with beautiful scenery, gentle breezes makes it a good place for recreation and swimming. Only 2 kilometres from Manokwari town, this beach can be reached by motorcycle, car, or public transport.

Papuan Graduates Prefer to be Civil Servants

Thursday, 17 February 2011 | 18:15 WIB (Free Translation from KOMPAS)

MANOKWARI, KOMPAS.com — Until now, graduates in Papua are still oriented to be civil servants and very few wants to be entrepreneurs. It is based on their paradigm that civil servants live in prosperous.

Yan Pieter Karafir, Dean of West Papua State University (Unipa), admitted almost 80 percent of graduates in Papua still prefer to work as employees, especially civil servants, to be entrepreneur. Daily influence of how civil servants live is the trigger.

The Political Status of West Papua (Part 6)

Since the conclusion of the Round Table Conference, Indonesia had sought to find ways for a peaceful settlement to the question of West Papua in line with Article 2 of the Charter of Transfer of Sovereignty:

• a. In April 1950, an Indonesian-Netherlands Ministers' Conference on financial matters in Jakarta dis some preliminary work on the question of West Papua. Also a Commission comprising of Netherlands and Indonesian representatives was established to visit and make an investigation on West Papua. The Conference decided that negotiations on this question should continue, on the basis of the report of the Commission, at the Second Conference of Ministers of the Netherlands - Indonesia Union, at the Hague during 1050.

Papua community welcomes development acceleration plan

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 02/16/2011 11:44 AM | Archipelago

Papuan community leader and city councilor Athanasius Allo Rafra has welcomed the government plan to establish a taskforce in March in a bid to accelerate development in Papua and West Papua provinces.#

"I support the establishment of the taskforce because the development of Papua and West Papua has progressed at a snail's pace," Allo Rafra said Wednesday as quoted by Antara.

The Political Status of West Papua (Part 5)

Thus, no one can draw artificial distinctions between the Papua and Malay peoples. Mixed groups have developed in many parts of the Moluccas in the course of history. It can not be determined therefore that the West Papuans are an exclusive ethnic group. There were and continues to be Indonesians coming from other islands to live in West Papua. The people of West Papua also live in other islands such as the Moluccas, Sulawesi, the Lesser Sunda and in Java. Hence, close relationship have been established over the years between this region and other parts of Indonesia.

Indonesia Rolling Out New Plan to Lift Growth in Papua

Jakarta Globe
Camelia Pasandaran | February 16, 2011

The government has announced that it would issue new guidelines next month on boosting development in the restive provinces of Papua and West Papua.

The implementation of the guidelines, to be issued in a presidential decree, will be coordinated by the new Government Unit to Accelerate Development in Papua and West Papua (UP4B), the vice president’s office said on Monday.

The Political Status of West Papua (Part 4)

Despite these unquestionable grounds of commonality of interests between the peoples of the rest of Indonesia and West Papua, Indonesia found it deeply regrettable and troubling that during the Round Table Conference, the Government of the Netherlands took a position contrary to its previous commitments. By reneging on its own commitments, the Dutch authorities insisted on retaining their control over West Papua. The reason being, it was widely believed, that the Dutch wanted the territory exclusively for settlement by Dutch-Indonesians under continued Dutch colonial rule. Indonesia protested and deadlock was inevitable. At the end of the Round Table Conference, the Head of Indonesia's delegation stated:

“Jamer” doctor who loves Papua

Dr Onny Suwardi Redjo MPH still remembers the shock on young doctors’ faces when they heard Papua still had frambusia’s sufferers. “Is it true frambusia still exist?” said Suwardi copying question from some of the new doctors.

Frambusia is not as severe as HIV/AIDS. It is easily treated with routine treatment. “This illness still exists because sanitation and health system in Papua are lacking,” said the Disease Prevention Head of Papua Province year 2000-2006.

The Political Status of West Papua (Part 3)

The status of the Netherlands East Indies territory including West Papua, was never in question is further confirmed by the following events concerning the validity of Indonesia's position.

1. In December 1946 the Dutch Governor-General Dr. H.J. Van Mook reiterated the view of his government: "Decidedly not the intention of the Government (the Dutch Government) to exclude New Guinea from Indonesia".

The Political Status of West Papua (Part 2)

For Indonesia, this was a difficult compromise for what this envisaged was that the Netherlands military presence and administrative control would remain in Indonesian territory for the stipulated period of one more year. It also presented Indonesia with great difficulties to have part of its territory under occupation and have such position ratified by its Parliament. Therefore, it can be said that Indonesia's acceptance of this compromise was a reflection of its sincere determination to resolve through peaceful means in accordance with the aims of the United Nations and its own national policies, a situation that had the potential to disturb international peace and security. What made this position even more unacceptable was that the newly independent Republic of Indonesia had to contend with a dispute over its territory, when it was not a question of its making. (*)

Lukas: the Fish Caller

Tempo magazine
10-16 January 2011

He can summon different kinds of fishes at Doreri Bay, West Papua. Lukas Barayap got his ability from prayers. He believes man can communicate with animals as told by stories of Prophet Suleiman in the Bible and Koran. He guards and protects the ocean from threats of bomb explosion and potassium by fishermen. Bakaro Beach is now green. The waves are good for surfing. Not just in Doreri Bay, fishes in Toba Lake also listen to him. Tempo’s reporter Bagja Hidayat reported his skill of calling fish.

Standing on Bakaro Beach edge wearing a polo shirt and shorts, Lukas Awiman Barayap blew his whistle while throwing tree termites into the ocean. Weather on the second Friday morning of December was clear. Wind blew softly after last night’s rain poured down on Manokwari, capital of West Papua.

Indonesia making progress on rights

Indonesia’s military is largely moving in the right direction on human rights despite the videotaped torture of civilians in restive Papua, a senior US defence official said Tuesday.

Robert Scher, the top Pentagon official handling Southeast Asia, reiterated US concerns that the 10-month sentences handed last month to three soldiers over the abuse in Papua were too lenient. But Scher added: “We do see that there was progress in the fact that this was a trial that was conducted quickly” and was “open and transparent.”

Historical Developments of West Papua (part 4)

Prior to the Second World War, West Papua was included in the Dutch East Indies administration as the Government (province) of Moluccas with the town of Ambon as the seat of the Governor. This Government (province) was sub-divided into two residencies, the residency of Ambon, to which belonged the southern part of West Papua, and the residency of Ternate, to which belonged the northern part of West Papua. As the world knows, the Moluccas, with the town of Ambon and Ternate, are and have always been part of Indonesia. So is the territory of West Papua which was never mentioned apart from the Netherlands East Indies. It was as always has been looked upon as part of the Netherlands East Indies, and thus, also a part of Indonesia.

The Beauty of Jayawijaya

The Top of jayawijaya

Jayawijaya Mountains is the name for the mountain range that extends lengthwise in the center of the province of West Papua and Papua (Indonesia) to Papua New Guinea New Guinea. Rows of Mountains which have some of the highest peak in Indonesia was formed by the removal of the sea floor thousands of years ago. Although located at an altitude of 4800 meters above sea level, fossilized sea shells, for example, can be seen in limestone and clastic rocks contained in Jayawijaya Mountains. Therefore, besides being a heaven for hikers, mountain paradise Jayawijaya also a world geological researchers.

The Political Status of West Papua (Part 1)

The people of Indonesia had realised their right to self-determination after a long struggle against colonial ruler when they proclaimed their independence on 17 August 1945, which lead to the establishment of a free and independent Republic of Indonesia, covering the whole territory of the former Netherlands East Indies. Such a right, however, was challenged by the colonial power and an armed conflict between Indonesia and the Netherlands ensued. The conflict ended when the parties concluded a peace agreement under the auspices of the United Nations Commission for Indonesia resulting in the Round Table Conference, held at the Hague in 1949. The peace accord of 2 November 1949 was achieved as a result of the full recognition and acceptance by the Netherlands of the independence and sovereignty of Indonesia as reflected in Article 1 of the Charter of Transfer of Sovereignty (S/1417/Add.1) which provided :

"The Kingdom of the Netherlands unconditionally and irrevocably transfer complete sovereignty over Indonesia to the Republic of the United States of Indonesia as an independent and sovereign State". (*)