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Amnesty International Urgent Action |
AI Index: ASA 21/009/2007 03 August 2007
UA 199/07 Fear for safety
INDONESIA Socrates Yoman (m), Head of the Baptist Churches (Papua) Noahk Nawipa (m), Kingmi church leader Benny Giay (m), Kingmi church leader
Benny Giay, Noahk Nawipa and Socrates Yoman, all Christian church leaders in
Papua province, have reportedly been threatened. Amnesty International
believes that the lives of the three men could be in danger. Benny Giay, Noahk Nawipa and Socrates Yoman, all Christian church leaders inPapua province, have reportedly been threatened. Amnesty Internationalbelieves that the lives of the three men could be in danger.
Around midnight on 29 July, two men reportedly came to the home of Pastor
Benny Giav, a leader of the Kingmi church (the Papuan branch of the Gospel
Tabernacle Church of Indonesia, in the town of Jayapura, Papua, where many
local indigenous people worship), and walked around his house for about 15
minutes before leaving. The next day, Pastor Giay was informed that someone
had received a text message asking him to join a group planning to vandalize
Pastor Giay¹s office at the Kingmi Church. On 1 August, Pastor Giay was also
told while he was travelling in the Sentani area of Papua province that he
had to be Œextra careful¹ because there were plans by members of the
national branch of the Gospel Tabernacle Church of Indonesia (Gereja Kemah
Injil Indonesia, GKII) to kill or shoot pastors from around Sentani. This
rumour echoed another warning by a pastor who reportedly said "tell pak [Mr]
Benny Giay and pak [Mr] Noakh Nawipa to be extra careful as some pastors of
GKII are planning to kill them. If they can't there are many ways to abduct
them". Noahk Nawipa is also a leader at the Kingmi Church. Benny Giay has
been outspoken on the political and human rights situation in Papua.
On 30 July, around 25 people who claimed to be members of GKII reportedly
went to the Kingmi Church. The mob threw stones at the Kingmi Church
building, injuring as many as eight people who were guarding the Church
office. Three of those injured required hospital treatment. Some people from
the mob were heard shouting: "Take and kill Dr Benny and Dr Noakh; they
provoke people and create too many problems in West Papua. They are true
provocateurs".
The attack may have occurred as a result of tensions between the Kingmi
Church and GKII. In 2006, the Kingmi church officially separated from GKII,
but following allegations that the Kingmi Church was supporting the armed
Papuan independence movement (OPM, Organisasi Papua Merdeka), members of
GKII rejected the autonomy of the Papuan church.
Although reports indicate that about 50 police officers were present during
the attack on Kingmi church, it is claimed by witnesses that they did
nothing to stop the violence. Some reports indicate that some members of the
Special Police Force (Police Mobile Brigade, Brimob) and military personnel
took part in the violence by vandalizing church property.
According to his testimony, in a separate incident on 29 July, Reverend
Socrates Yoman, President of the Communion of Baptist Churches in Papua, was
threatened and intimidated by armed police officers and military
intelligence personnel outside the Baptist Church in Jayapura, Papua
province, following a service. Reverend Yoman said that the security forces
personnel pointed a pistol at him and he was verbally threatened, although
details of these threats are not known to Amnesty International. Reverend
Yoman has spoken out a number of times about human rights abuses committed
by the authorities in Papua.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
There is an active independence movement in Papua province, and the
Indonesian security forces have responded at times with excessive use of
force including extrajudicial executions, torture and arbitrary detentions.
Members of local human rights organisations have been harassed and
intimidated because of their work, and some have been forced to leave the
province. Church leaders are among those who have voiced the concerns of the
local population about ongoing human rights violations, and as a result have
publicly been accused of being linked to the independence movement.
Following her visit to Indonesia in June, the UN's Special Representative on
Human Rights Defenders, Hina Jilani, stated that human rights defenders
working in Papua province "continue to face torture, arbitrary detention and
harassment from the country's police, military and security forces." .
While Amnesty International takes no position on the political status of any
province of Indonesia, the organization believes that the right to freedom
of expression includes the right to peacefully express political views and
that this right must be upheld.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible
… expressing concern for the safety of Benny Giay, Noahk Nawipa and
Socrates Yoman;
… urging the authorities to take immediate, concrete measures to
guarantee the safety of Benny Giay, Noahk Nawipa and Socrates Yoman, and
members of the Kingmi church;
… calling on the authorities to investigate allegations that Socrates
Yoman was threatened at gunpoint by security forces personnel and that
Kingmi Church was attacked with the collusion of police and military;
… calling for those responsible for the attacks and intimidation towards
the three church leaders and members of the Kingmi Church be held
accountable;
… calling for the authorities to ensure that all members of the police
and military are made aware of the legitimate role of human rights defenders
and their responsibility to protect human rights defenders under the UN
Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and
Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights
and Fundamental Freedoms.
APPEALS TO: (Please note that fax numbers may be switched off outside office
hours, 7 hours ahead of GMT. Please keep trying)
President
Mr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Istana Merdeka, Jakarta 10110, Indonesia
Fax: + 62 21 345 2685 or + 62 21 526 8726 or + 62 21 380 5511
Email:
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COPIES TO:
Chairman, National Commission for Human Rights National Police Chief
Komisi Nasional Hak Asasi Manusia General Sutanto
Mr Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara, Jalan Truno Joyo No. 03
Jl. Latuharhary No. 4B Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia
Menteng, Jakarta Pusat 10310, Indonesia Fax: +62 21 720
7277
Indonesian Ambassador His Excellency Mr Teuku THAYEB
Embassy of Indonesia., 8 Darwin Avenue, Yarralumla ACT 2600 Fax: (02)
6273 6017, 6273 3545,
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat,
or your section office, if sending appeals after 14 September 2007.
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