WPRRA Chair: Elimar Gombo Congratulates the ULMWP Achievements

The Chairperson of the West Papua Refugees Relief Association (WPRRA) based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea congratulates the achievements of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) at the 50th Pacific Islands Forum Summit in Tuvalu this week.

  • West Papua Refugee relief Association Chairman Elimar Gombo
    West Papua Refugee relief Association Chairman Elimar Gombo with Blue Shirt and Deputy Chair Soni Yoissi holding his child (red shirt with hat)

Speaking to some of the refugees in Port Moresby, Mr. Gombo stated Hon. Benny Wenda was one of the refugees, hosted here at Gerehu Stage II. At that time, Hon Powes Parkop, MP, Governor of NCD Port Moresby was Wenda’s lawyer, organised his passport and got him to the United Kingdom with a promise, “When I get something out there, I will bring back the results of my hunting, so that we can share together back home”.

A week before the PIF Summit, Hon. Governor Parkop and Hon Wenda visited the Solomon Islands Prime Minister and the Opposition leader to secure support for the West Papua cause.

Mr. Gombo continues that has been made so far shows clearly to all of us that all Melanesian leaders and Pacific leaders are supporting West Papua. Only Australia is not fully supportive because it has various agreements with Indonesia that it tries not to violate.

All West Papuans also indicated their full support to what the ULMWP is doing in Tuvalu, which indicates once again that all West Papuans are “One People – One Soul“, ONLY Indonesian Negara Kolonial Indonesia (NKRI) that always spread hoax and propaganda saying that West Papuans are factionalized, divided, and potential to kill each other because of tribal root of conflicts.

Mr. Gombo added, West Papuans today are modernized peoples, we know what we are doing and we will achieve, Indonesia will get out from West Papua. Melanesians are standing together with us. We are all Melesians, and Indonesians are occupying Melanesian home-land.

WPRRA Chair: Elimar Gombo Congratulates the ULMWP Achievements was originally published on WPRRA.club

WPRRA Chair: Elimar Gombo Congratulates the ULMWP Achievements

The Chairperson of the West Papua Refugees Relief Association (WPRRA) based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea congratulates the achievements of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) at the 50th Pacific Islands Forum Summit in Tuvalu this week.

  • West Papua Refugee relief Association Chairman Elimar Gombo
    West Papua Refugee relief Association Chairman Elimar Gombo with Blue Shirt and Deputy Chair Soni Yoissi holding his child (red shirt with hat)

Speaking to some of the refugees in Port Moresby, Mr. Gombo stated Hon. Benny Wenda was one of the refugees, hosted here at Gerehu Stage II. At that time, Hon Powes Parkop, MP, Governor of NCD Port Moresby was Wenda’s lawyer, organised his passport and got him to the United Kingdom with a promise, “When I get something out there, I will bring back the results of my hunting, so that we can share together back home”.

A week before the PIF Summit, Hon. Governor Parkop and Hon Wenda visited the Solomon Islands Prime Minister and the Opposition leader to secure support for the West Papua cause.

Mr. Gombo continues that has been made so far shows clearly to all of us that all Melanesian leaders and Pacific leaders are supporting West Papua. Only Australia is not fully supportive because it has various agreements with Indonesia that it tries not to violate.

All West Papuans also indicated their full support to what the ULMWP is doing in Tuvalu, which indicates once again that all West Papuans are “One People – One Soul”, ONLY Indonesian Negara Kolonial Indonesia (NKRI) that always spread hoax and propaganda saying that West Papuans are factionalized, divided, and potential to kill each other because of tribal root of conflicts.

Mr. Gombo added, West Papuans today are modernized peoples, we know what we are doing and we will achieve, Indonesia will get out from West Papua. Melanesians are standing together with us. We are all Melesians, and Indonesians are occupying Melanesian home-land.

WPRRA Annual Meeting Held on August 4th, 2019

At its office at Gerehu Stage 2, Port Moresby, the West Papuan Refugee Relief Association (WPRRA) recently held its annual meeting after several years without any such meetings.

This meeting was chaired by its Chairperson, Mr. Elimar Gombo, attended by 90% of the board members and the WPRRA deputy Chair, Soni Yossi.

As reported by the chair to Melanesia.news crew at the office, the meeting was held to evaluate the achievements during the past 9 years since its establishment in August 2010.

Mr. Gombo added the main success so far is securing the land, in cooperation with landowners, a piece of land at Gerehu, which then declared as the area to be build “West PApua Town” in Port Moresby by the NCD Governor, Hon. Powes Parkop, MP.

Mr Gombo also said they are planning to build an office at the PNG Government allocated land for West Papua Refugees in Gerehu.

WPRRA Annual Meeting Held on August 4th, 2019 was originally published on WPRRA.club

WPRRA Annual Meeting Held on August 4th, 2019 was originally published on WPRRA.club

WPRRA Annual Meeting Held on August 4th, 2019 was originally published on WPRRA.club

WPRRA Annual Meeting Held on August 4th, 2019 was originally published on WPRRA.club

WPRRA Annual Meeting Held on August 4th, 2019

At its office at Gerehu Stage 2, Port Moresby, the West Papuan Refugee Relief Association (WPRRA) recently held its annual meeting after several years without any such meetings.

This meeting was chaired by its Chairperson, Mr. Elimar Gombo, attended by 90% of the board members and the WPRRA deputy Chair, Soni Yossi.

As reported by the chair to Melanesia.news crew at the office, the meeting was held to evaluate the achievements during the past 9 years since its establishment in August 2010.

Mr. Gombo added the main success so far is securing the land, in cooperation with landowners, a piece of land at Gerehu, which then declared as the area to be build “West PApua Town” in Port Moresby by the NCD Governor, Hon. Powes Parkop, MP.

Mr Gombo also said they are planning to build an office at the PNG Government allocated land for West Papua Refugees in Gerehu.

WPRRA Annual Meeting Held on August 4th, 2019 was originally published on WPRRA.club

WPRRA Annual Meeting Held on August 4th, 2019 was originally published on WPRRA.club

WPRRA Annual Meeting Held on August 4th, 2019 was originally published on WPRRA.club

WPRRA Annual Meeting Held on August 4th, 2019

At its office at Gerehu Stage 2, Port Moresby, the West Papuan Refugee Relief Association (WPRRA) recently held its annual meeting after several years without any such meetings.

This meeting was chaired by its Chairperson, Mr. Elimar Gombo, attended by 90% of the board members and the WPRRA deputy Chair, Soni Yossi.

As reported by the chair to Melanesia.news crew at the office, the meeting was held to evaluate the achievements during the past 9 years since its establishment in August 2010.

Mr. Gombo added the main success so far is securing the land, in cooperation with landowners, a piece of land at Gerehu, which then declared as the area to be build “West PApua Town” in Port Moresby by the NCD Governor, Hon. Powes Parkop, MP.

Mr Gombo also said they are planning to build an office at the PNG Government allocated land for West Papua Refugees in Gerehu.

WPRRA Annual Meeting Held on August 4th, 2019 was originally published on WPRRA.club

WPRRA Annual Meeting Held on August 4th, 2019 was originally published on WPRRA.club

WPRRA Annual Meeting Held on August 4th, 2019

At its office at Gerehu Stage 2, Port Moresby, the West Papuan Refugee Relief Association (WPRRA) recently held its annual meeting after several years without any such meetings.

This meeting was chaired by its Chairperson, Mr. Elimar Gombo, attended by 90% of the board members and the WPRRA deputy Chair, Soni Yossi.

As reported by the chair to Melanesia.news crew at the office, the meeting was held to evaluate the achievements during the past 9 years since its establishment in August 2010.

Mr. Gombo added the main success so far is securing the land, in cooperation with landowners, a piece of land at Gerehu, which then declared as the area to be build “West PApua Town” in Port Moresby by the NCD Governor, Hon. Powes Parkop, MP.

Mr Gombo also said they are planning to build an office at the PNG Government allocated land for West Papua Refugees in Gerehu.

WPRRA Annual Meeting Held on August 4th, 2019 was originally published on WPRRA.club

WPRRA Annual Meeting Held on August 4th, 2019

At its office at Gerehu Stage 2, Port Moresby, the West Papuan Refugee Relief Association (WPRRA) recently held its annual meeting after several years without any such meetings.

This meeting was chaired by its Chairperson, Mr. Elimar Gombo, attended by 90% of the board members and the WPRRA deputy Chair, Soni Yossi.

As reported by the chair to Melanesia.news crew at the office, the meeting was held to evaluate the achievements during the past 9 years since its establishment in August 2010.

Mr. Gombo added the main success so far is securing the land, in cooperation with landowners, a piece of land at Gerehu, which then declared as the area to be build “West PApua Town” in Port Moresby by the NCD Governor, Hon. Powes Parkop, MP.

Mr Gombo also said they are planning to build an office at the PNG Government allocated land for West Papua Refugees in Gerehu.

182 reportedly die while seeking refuge in Nduga conflict

Ardila Syakriah The Jakarta Post Jakarta /

Indonesian military soldiers prepare to board a helicopter from Wamena in Papua province on December 5, 2018, to retrieve the bodies of the construction workers killed in Nduga.

Indonesian soldiers hunted on December 5 for rebels suspected of killing 24 construction workers in restive Papua province, as an eyewitness account supplied by the military described a grisly mass execution. (AFP/Anyong)

Volunteers grouped under the Nduga Solidarity Civil Society Coalition reported in a statement on Thursday the deaths of 182 civilians who were taking refuge in various areas after fleeing from their homes in conflict-ridden Nduga regency between December and July.

They allegedly died from famine and other illnesses due to poor living conditions in the shelters after fleeing from their homes in the middle of a security conflict in the regency. The civilians were forced to escape the ongoing security operations against armed rebels linked to the Free Papua Movement (OPM) following the latter’s killing of dozens of construction workers in Nduga in December.

The coalition previously reported on July 18 that 139 internally displaced people had died while seeking refuge, a figure rejected and claimed by the government as a “hoax”. The government soon released its version of the death toll, citing that only 53 displaced people had died.

The claim prompted the group to verify its data with the help of the Papua Justice and Welfare Foundation (YKKMP), Kingmi church and Papuan People Assembly in Nduga by also involving the displaced, resulting in a higher fatality number than previously collected.

YKKMP director Theo Hesegem said the fatalities were recorded in several Nduga districts, such as Yigi, Mbua, Inikggal and Nirkuri, and also neighboring regencies, including Jayawijaya, Lani Jaya and Timika. Some of them also died while taking refuge in forests, he said.

“The alleged causes of death are famine because there was no food in the forests, and exposure to cold weather,” he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

The group is also looking for a toddler who went missing after her mother, identified as Kenmalet Gwijangge, 26, was allegedly shot dead in an armed conflict between the military and rebels on July 4 in Mugi district.

Theo said the YKKMP and representatives from the Kingmi church had requested a ceasefire between the military and rebels in Mugi so that they could conduct a search for the toddler.

Cendrawasih Military Command spokesman Lt. Col. Eko Daryanto said he had yet to look into information regarding the missing toddler, adding that the military had yet to receive any updates regarding the death toll as reported by the coalition.

“There might also be differences in the perception or data regarding the cause of deaths [between different parties],” he said.

According to the coalition, tens of thousands of civilians had fled from their homes in Nduga to the forests and neighboring regencies, with some remaining in various districts in Nduga. MOST VIEWED MOST ENGAGING Assault of ‘Tempo’ journalist raises fresh concerns about press freedom Four Indonesian airports to trial GeNose coronavirus breath tests starting April 1 Biden picks Black women, first Muslim for federal judgeships How to lose belly fat in seven days Shootout reported at National Police headquarters Digitalization: New opportunity, old challenge for gender equality Pertamina projects stall amid policy flip-flops, refinery blaze West Java oil refinery blaze rages for a second day Crashed Sriwijaya Air passenger jet’s cockpit voice recorder found: ministry Terror groups use alms boxes to collect funds in N. Sumatra: Police FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA The Jakarta Post

This article was published in thejakartapost.com with the title “182 reportedly die while seeking refuge in Nduga conflict”. Click to read: https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2019/08/01/182-reportedly-die-while-seeking-refuge-in-nduga-conflict.html.

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Solidaritas untuk Nduga : 177 meninggal, 5021 mengungsi akibat konflik di Nduga, Papua

Jayapura, Jubi – Konflik dan dampak konflik di Kabupaten Nduga yang telah berlangsung sejak Desember 2018 sampai sekarang membutuhkan dukungan berbagai pihak, khususnya kelompok masyarakat sipil. Hingga akhir Juni, tercatat 5021 orang mengungsi dari kabupaten ini.

Tim Solidaritas untuk Nduga merilis laporan dan Lembar Fakta Perkembangan Konflik Nduga dan Dampaknya sejak bulan Desember 2018 hingga Juli 2019 di Jakarta, Kamis (18 Juli 2019). Laporan ini selain mencatat jumlah pengungsi hingga akhir Juli 2019, juga mencatat jumlah kematian akibat konflik yang terjadi.

“Sekitar 177 orang yang meninggal dan lima orang masih hilang hingga bulan Juli ini,” ungkap Hipolitus Wangge, realawan Tim Solidaritas untuk Nduga dalam Konferensi Pers di Kantor Yayasan Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Indonesia (YLBHI).

Seorang anak di tempat pengungsian di Kota Wamena – Jubi/Ist

Selain jumlah warga sipil yang meninggal, tim ini menyebutkan 17 anggota TNI-Polri yang meninggal sejak penyerangan kelompok Tentara Nasional Pembebasan Papua Barat (TPNPB) yang mengakibatkan 16 orang karyawan PT. Istaka Karya meninggal pada awal Desember 2018 lalu.

“Sebagian besar yang meninggal ini adalah balita, 40 orang dan orang dewasa usia produktif, 64 orang,” lanjut Hipolitus.

Sedangkan jumlah pengungsi akibat konflik menurut Hipolitus paling banyak berasal dari Distrik Mbua. Tercatat 1985 warga dari distrik ini mengungsi ke kabupaten lain seperti Jayawijaya dan Lanny Jaya.

Selain dari Mbua, Tim Solidaritas untuk Nduga mencatat pengungsi dari Distrik Yigi (692 orang), Dal (541 orang), Mbulmuyalma (405 orang), Yal (405 orang), Mugi (256 orang), Nitkuri (254 orang), Mam (208 orang), Iniknggal (108 orang), Kageyam (128 orang), Mapenduma (100 orang), meborok (17 orang) dan Koroptok (12 orang).

“Warga yang mengungsi di Jayawijaya banyak kena penyakit ISPA, Anemia, Myalgia, Diare dan Disentri. Sebagian besar berusia remaja,” ujar Hipolitus menjelaskan kondis warga yang mengungsi di Kota Wamena, Jayawijaya.

Dalam rekomendasi laporan tim, Hipolitus mengatakan tim meminta pemerintah mengevaluasi keberadaan aparat keamanan di Nduga. Evaluasi keberadaan aparat keamanan menjadi penting saat ini karena para pengungsi, terutama anak-anak, menderita trauma dengan keberadaan aparat. Keadaan semakin parah karena suplai bantuan makanan dan kesehatan yang minim.

Seorang anak di tempat pengungsian di Kota Wamena – Jubi/Ist

“Ketika aparat datang, anak-anak itu lari dan kabur. Merasa ketakutan melihat aparat berseragam,” ujarnya.

Peneliti Komnas Perempuan, Saur Tumiur Situmorang, menyatakan bahwa warga Nduga memang masih belum bisa kembali ke rumah lantaran aparat hukum masih mendatangi kediaman warga.

“Tak jarang pula ada perusakan terhadap rumah yang ditinggalkan warga. Bahkan ada yang menembaki ternak milik warga,” kata Saur. “

Menanggapi laporan Tim Solidaritas untuk Nduga ini, Kepala Penerangan Komando Daerah Militer XVII/Cenderawasih, Kol. Inf. Muhammad Aidi, menyebut para pengungsi telah kembali ke kediaman masing-masing.

“Sebagian masyarakat yang mengungsi sudah kembali ke kampung dan hidup normal serta mendapatkan bantuan baik dari TNI dan pemerintah,” kata Aidi, dikutip benarnews.org

Ia pun meragukan data jumlah pengungsi yang dilaporkan mencapai 5.000 orang sebab sampai kini belum ada ada resmi jumlah warga Nduga lantaran pemerintah setempat belum memiliki data kependudukan.

“Pengakuan sebagian warga bahwa pengungsi yang belum kembali karena diancam dan diintimidasi oleh kelompok separatis bukan karena takut oleh suara pesawat atau suara tembakan.”

Dia menambahkan pemberian bantuan kepada warga Nduga baik yang mengungsi atau yang sudah kembali dilakukan secara terkoordinasi oleh Pemda dan TNI. (*)

Human Rights and Social Welfare of Refugees

PNG is steadfast in its commitment to protect refugees. These commitments are outlined within the country legislation together with PNG’s new National Refugee Policy. The framework for protecting refugees and their rights is contained within the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol.

PNG acceded to these international conventions in 1987. In 2008 under Refugee Convention, Papua New Guinea also acceded to (a) the International Covenant on Economic and Social and Cultural rights and (b) International Convention of Civil and Political Rights of refugees.

On 19 July 2013 the Prime Minister advised the Secretary General of the United Nations that PNG had withdrawn its reservations to certain elements of the Refugees Convention effectively giving refugees more privileges including work rights.

The rights of refugees are outlined within the Refugees Convention. PNG is in the process of enshrining all of these rights within the domestic laws and the measures that Government will take to implement these rights are outlined within PNG’s National Refugee Policy.

PNG does not have an extensive social welfare system. The National Refugee Policy, however, recognises the importance of enabling refugees to find employment and support themselves as quickly as possible. To achieve this, refugees will receive a range of support based on their needs.

For West Papuans, who have been here for many years and established livelihoods, this support will be focused on providing them the same rights and legal status as Papua New Guineans, through the provision of citizenship. For recently arrived refugees, this may include language and cultural orientation assistance, case management support, and assistance to find employment and accommodation. 

ICA conducts rigorous assessments to ensure that any non-refugee who is removed from PNG will not be subject to torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, arbitrary deprivation of life or imposition of the death penalty.

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