12 June 2018

Within moments of Indonesia’s election to the UN Security Council, President Jokowi sent 1600 commandos of his new anti-terrorist force to Timika (West Papua), and five Amungme civilians were immediately kidnapped on suspicion of having independence aspirations.

The recent formation of the KOOSSUSGAB commando unit—drawn from the Marines, the Airforce, and the Military, was not by legislation, but by Presidential commando.  Unlike Densus 88 (a police force accountable to the Indonesian Parliament) KOOSSUSGAB is directly and only accountable to President Jokowi.

Indonesia’s now-undeniable return to Suharto-like treatment of West Papuans has drawn the ire of ULMWP Spokesman Jacob Rumbiak, who believes that it is highly inappropriate for the Indonesian state, such as it is, to be part of the UN Security Council’s powerful armour of responsibility and decision-making.

“Setting a special Anti-Terrorist military force against West Papua civilians is irresponsible and morally culpable” he said.

“We are not terrorists, and have never behaved like Indonesian terrorists and extremists.  West Papua is our homeland.  Our rights of self-determination are guaranteed in the Indonesian Constitution, the UN Charter of Human Rights, UN General Assembly Res. 1514 (1960), UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (2007), UN General Assembly 1752 XVII, and UN Chapter XII.”

“All we are seeking is our sovereign rights, our dignity, and our liberty” concluded the Spokesperson for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, which in the past three years has garnered unprecedented support for its independence program.

Jacob Rumbiak

Spokesperson

United Liberation Movement for West Papua

* Komando Operasi khusus Gabungan/KOOSSUSGAB, Special Combined Operations Command

* At 10pm on Saturday 9 June 2018 Indonesia’s new Anti-Terrorist commandos arrested Orpa Wanjomal (40 yo) and her stepson Polce Sugumol (31 yo) in their home in SP Two Town (Timika).  Five hours later, at 3am on Sunday 10 June, KOOSSUSGAB commandoes entered the home of Titus Kwalik at Ten SP Five, beat his wife with the butt of a gun until she fell unconscious, and then arrested him.  At the same time they arrested Julianus Dekme (31yo) and Alosius Ogolmagai (49yo) at Julianus home at SP Six, Mandiri St. 

* The Amungme are the indigenous owners of the land mined by the US Freeport company since 1967.

Photo information: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC), meeting in New York City. (Agence France -Presse/Andrew Burton/Getty Images/AFP)