[SPMNews - Papua Jungles] -

 SPMNews received a message today directly from West Papua saying

 "one of the students who was shot and hospitalised in Numbay, West Papua died because of hanged by the Indoneian army after being taken away from
the hospital today, 22 April 2009."

 The message continues, "Student Heri Logo was shot and hospitalised on 9
April 2009. He had been continuously monitored, interrogated, tortured and
threatened by the Indoneisan intelligent agents and some police who came
openly in uniform. They forced the students to acknowledge that it was
them that attacked the police stations. When they denied, they were
tortured and forced to acknowledge their involvement. Until finally, Heri
was hanged outside, not in hospital, in West Papua and died today,"

 The message also reports, "Another colleague of the late Heri Logo, Alinus
Uaga is currently in the same hospital, and he also told us that he is
being continuously terrorised and interrogated, and many times being
tortured on his wound as he was also shot on the 9 April 2009."

 The message also questions, "Do the world and civilised human beings out
there know what we are experiencing here? Until how many more should die
that they will do anything at all to bring these to an end? They should
tell us how many more to day, so that we can give our lives and they the
civilised and democratic world will help us!"

 SPMNews hereby would like to express OUR DEEP CONDOLENCE for the death of
Heri Logo, as one of the young heroes of West Papua. We pray that all
beings will reward the sacrifice to the better future of our communities
in our beloved New Guinea Island and for all Melanesians in the South
Pacific.

 SPMNews also would like to ask for your help, West Papua Independence
supporters and all human rights activists who read this sad news to help
us by writing to the Government of Indoneia expressing your concern about
this situation.

Secretary

 of State Clinton Should Bring Human Rights Pressure on Indonesia

 by John
Miller

 www.opednews.com

 Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to Indonesia offers the
new Obama administration the opportunity to chart a new course in
U.S. relations with world's largest Muslim-majority country. The
Secretary of State has sent an important signal about the importance
of the relationship, by including Indonesia among the first countries
she will visit in her new office.

 Indonesians are certainly excited by the election of President Barack
Obama, who lived there as a child. How long this honeymoon will last
may depend on the administration's policy towards engagement with
Indonesia's notorious military (Tentara Nasional Indonesia or TNI).

 Secretary Clinton should break with the Bush administration's failed
policy of engagement with the TNI. The U.S. should once again use
military assistance as leverage to promote reform and human rights.

 For decades the United States was the Indonesian military's largest
weapons supplier. Indonesian officers earned prestige and promotions
by training with the U.S. military. Beginning in the 1990s, Congress
began to limit military assistance. When the people of East Timor
voted for independence in 1999, Indonesia's security forces unleashed
a campaign of death and destruction in response. The Clinton
administration then cut all ties to the Indonesian military. A few
months later Congress made part of that ban law. For several years,
U.S. assistance was conditioned on human rights progress. By 2005,
the Bush administration had succeeded in reinstating nearly all
assistance to the TNI.

 Not surprisingly, re-engagement did not end the entrenched impunity
of Indonesia's security forces for crimes against humanity and other
serious violations committed in East Timor, West Papua and elsewhere.
The TNI continues to resist civilian control and emphasize internal
security. It resists attempts to dismantle its "territorial command"
system which enables its continued involvement in business and
politics. The implementation of a law meant to end military
involvement in business has degenerated into farce, and its units are
accused of involvement in a variety of illegal enterprises, including
logging and narcotics trade.

 While the abandonment of substantive pressure on human rights and
reform was justified by the "war on terror," the State Department's
own Country Reports on Terrorism credits the Indonesian police for
"major successes in breaking up terrorist cells linked to ... violent
Islamic extremist organizations." The TNI goes unmentioned.

 In its last years, the Bush administration sought to train members of
Kopassus, Indonesia's Special Forces, which was responsible for some
of the worst human rights violations throughout the archipelago. U.S.
assistance to Kopassus is currently on hold, and the new
administration will have to decide whether or not to cooperate with
the notorious unit. The U.S. should also avoid Indonesia's main
military and civilian intelligence agencies (BAIS and BIN) which have
long records of repressing human rights activists and other critics.
Retired senior military officials working in Indonesia's State
Intelligence Agency (BIN) are suspected of planning and ordering the
2004 assassination of Munir Said Thalib, Indonesia's leading
human-rights advocate.

 The victims of U.S.-supported military human rights violations are
clear about the need to leverage military assistance. East Timor's
official Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation called on
countries to make military assistance to Indonesia "totally
conditional on progress towards full democratisation, the
subordination of the military to the rule of law and civilian
government, and strict adherence with international human rights." An
Indonesian human rights activist told the Jakarta Post soon after
Obama's election that the U.S. should 'reinstate its military embargo
against us' another Indonesian activist said "if Indonesia does not
respond positively to U.S. pressure.'

 When she visits Indonesia, Secretary Clinton should turn the page on
the Bush administration's subversion of human rights concerns in U.S.
foreign relations. She can open a new chapter in U.S. relations by
making clear that future support for the Indonesian military is
contingent upon real reform and genuine accountability for human
rights crimes. By doing so, she can make clear that U.S. support for
human rights and democracy is real, not just rhetoric.

 John M. Miller is National Coordinator of the
East Timor and Indonesia Action Network, a
U.S.-based human rights group (www.etan.org)

Secretary

 of State Clinton Should Bring Human Rights Pressure on Indonesia

 by John
Miller

 www.opednews.com

 Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to Indonesia offers the
new Obama administration the opportunity to chart a new course in
U.S. relations with world's largest Muslim-majority country. The
Secretary of State has sent an important signal about the importance
of the relationship, by including Indonesia among the first countries
she will visit in her new office.

 Indonesians are certainly excited by the election of President Barack
Obama, who lived there as a child. How long this honeymoon will last
may depend on the administration's policy towards engagement with
Indonesia's notorious military (Tentara Nasional Indonesia or TNI).

 Secretary Clinton should break with the Bush administration's failed
policy of engagement with the TNI. The U.S. should once again use
military assistance as leverage to promote reform and human rights.

 For decades the United States was the Indonesian military's largest
weapons supplier. Indonesian officers earned prestige and promotions
by training with the U.S. military. Beginning in the 1990s, Congress
began to limit military assistance. When the people of East Timor
voted for independence in 1999, Indonesia's security forces unleashed
a campaign of death and destruction in response. The Clinton
administration then cut all ties to the Indonesian military. A few
months later Congress made part of that ban law. For several years,
U.S. assistance was conditioned on human rights progress. By 2005,
the Bush administration had succeeded in reinstating nearly all
assistance to the TNI.

 Not surprisingly, re-engagement did not end the entrenched impunity
of Indonesia's security forces for crimes against humanity and other
serious violations committed in East Timor, West Papua and elsewhere.
The TNI continues to resist civilian control and emphasize internal
security. It resists attempts to dismantle its "territorial command"
system which enables its continued involvement in business and
politics. The implementation of a law meant to end military
involvement in business has degenerated into farce, and its units are
accused of involvement in a variety of illegal enterprises, including
logging and narcotics trade.

 While the abandonment of substantive pressure on human rights and
reform was justified by the "war on terror," the State Department's
own Country Reports on Terrorism credits the Indonesian police for
"major successes in breaking up terrorist cells linked to ... violent
Islamic extremist organizations." The TNI goes unmentioned.

 In its last years, the Bush administration sought to train members of
Kopassus, Indonesia's Special Forces, which was responsible for some
of the worst human rights violations throughout the archipelago. U.S.
assistance to Kopassus is currently on hold, and the new
administration will have to decide whether or not to cooperate with
the notorious unit. The U.S. should also avoid Indonesia's main
military and civilian intelligence agencies (BAIS and BIN) which have
long records of repressing human rights activists and other critics.
Retired senior military officials working in Indonesia's State
Intelligence Agency (BIN) are suspected of planning and ordering the
2004 assassination of Munir Said Thalib, Indonesia's leading
human-rights advocate.

 The victims of U.S.-supported military human rights violations are
clear about the need to leverage military assistance. East Timor's
official Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation called on
countries to make military assistance to Indonesia "totally
conditional on progress towards full democratisation, the
subordination of the military to the rule of law and civilian
government, and strict adherence with international human rights." An
Indonesian human rights activist told the Jakarta Post soon after
Obama's election that the U.S. should 'reinstate its military embargo
against us' another Indonesian activist said "if Indonesia does not
respond positively to U.S. pressure.'

 When she visits Indonesia, Secretary Clinton should turn the page on
the Bush administration's subversion of human rights concerns in U.S.
foreign relations. She can open a new chapter in U.S. relations by
making clear that future support for the Indonesian military is
contingent upon real reform and genuine accountability for human
rights crimes. By doing so, she can make clear that U.S. support for
human rights and democracy is real, not just rhetoric.

 John M. Miller is National Coordinator of the
East Timor and Indonesia Action Network, a
U.S.-based human rights group (www.etan.org)

Jayapura, Indonesia, April 3 (DPA) - Thousands of independence supporters
rallied in Indonesia's Papua region Friday to call for a boycott of next
week's national legislative elections, activists said. The protestors
gathered in the Papuan provincial capital, Jayapura, and three other
districts - Nabire, Wamena and Biak - to demand a referendum on
self-determination for the
easternmost province.

 Activists said the rallies coincided with the launch of a pressure group
called International Lawyers for Papua in the United States.

 "We refuse to use our rights in the Indonesian general election in April
and July 2009 because this election is Indonesia's democratic election and
not West Papua's democratic election," Benny Wenda, a London-based Papuan
separatist leader, said in a statement, referring to the parliamentary
elections and the later presidential vote.

 Police in the region could not be reached immediately for comment.

 Last month, about 1,000 protesters staged a peaceful rally in favour of a
referendum on Papuan independence outside the provincial parliament.

 The rally came after a co-founder of the pro-independence Free Papua
Movement, Nicholas Jouwe, held talks with Indonesian officials during his
first trip to the country after more than 40 years of exile in the
Netherlands.

 Papua was a Dutch colony and remained one after 1949 when Indonesia gained
independence. In 1961, Indonesia invaded Papua, sparking a brief war with
the Netherlands.

 The United Nations intervened, and Papua was handed to Indonesia in 1962.
Papua became formally part of Indonesia seven years later after a
referendum that Jakarta was accused of manipulating.

 A small insurgency against Indonesian rule in the impoverished province
has been conducted ever since.

 A soldier and two civilians were killed last month in separate attacks
blamed on the rebels.

The Jakarta Post
April 11, 2009

 Papua Calm After Deadly Incidents

 JAYAPURA

 Papuans celebrated Good Friday peacefully, after a series of
violent incidents in Abepura district, Jayapura, marred the
previous day’s polling.

 Public transportation services resumed operations as normal,
while residents flocked to traditional markets, shops and
grocery stores.

 “This safe and conducive situation has allowed Christians here
to conduct Easter mass freely, and followers of other faiths to
go about their activities on peace,” local resident Maksimus
Solo said as quoted by Antara.

 He admitted most residents were gripped by fear Thursday after
learning about attacks on security posts and the Abepura Police
station, as well as a fire that razed state-run Cendrawasih
University.

 Unidentified gunmen assaulted the security post at the Skaw
Wutung border between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea at 1 a.m.
No casualties were reported.

 Half an hour later, the Abepura Police station was attacked by
about 50 men armed with homemade bombs, spears, cleavers, bows
and cassowary bones. Police officers shot into the crowd,
killing one attacker and injuring eight others.

 At daybreak, the rector’s building at Cendrawasih University, 5
kilometers from the police station, was set ablaze by unknown
people. The fire razed documents and badly damaged the building,
but claimed no fatalities.

 On Wednesday evening, unknown assailants stabbed five ojek
(motorcycle taxi) drivers in Wamena, leaving four of them and
the fifth in critical condition.

 Two hours later, a fuel storage tank at state oil company PT
Pertamina’s depot in Biak exploded, killing a bystander.

 Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu said the explosion was simply an
accident, while the attacks were intended to disrupt the
elections in Papua.

 The Papuan Church Communion has sent a letter to the governor
ahead of Easter to voice its concern over the dire security
situation.

 “Calamity, disease, accidents and violence never seem to leave
our daily lives. Many people live in worry and fear,” the
letter, dated April 8 and made available to The Jakarta Post,
read.

 The communion expressed concern over the arrests of youth
activists charged with sedition.

 It also questioned an April 3 raid on the Papua Customary
Council office, claiming it was done without proper legal basis.
Police seized and destroyed equipment from the office and
arrested 15 activists over an issue of International Lawyers for
West Papua (ILWP) abroad.

 Police earlier said the men were arrested for their alleged
involvement in a subversion movement.

 The arrests continued on April 6 and 7, with dozens of West
Papua National Committee activists detained for sedition.

 The communion also pointed out the climate of fear spawned by
the recent violence in the Tingginambut area, Puncak Jaya
regency, which was reminiscent of similar violence around
Christmas time in 2006 and 2007 that forced many people to seek
refuge.

The Jakarta Post
April 11, 2009

 Papua Calm After Deadly Incidents

 JAYAPURA

 Papuans celebrated Good Friday peacefully, after a series of
violent incidents in Abepura district, Jayapura, marred the
previous day’s polling.

 Public transportation services resumed operations as normal,
while residents flocked to traditional markets, shops and
grocery stores.

 “This safe and conducive situation has allowed Christians here
to conduct Easter mass freely, and followers of other faiths to
go about their activities on peace,” local resident Maksimus
Solo said as quoted by Antara.

 He admitted most residents were gripped by fear Thursday after
learning about attacks on security posts and the Abepura Police
station, as well as a fire that razed state-run Cendrawasih
University.

 Unidentified gunmen assaulted the security post at the Skaw
Wutung border between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea at 1 a.m.
No casualties were reported.

 Half an hour later, the Abepura Police station was attacked by
about 50 men armed with homemade bombs, spears, cleavers, bows
and cassowary bones. Police officers shot into the crowd,
killing one attacker and injuring eight others.

 At daybreak, the rector’s building at Cendrawasih University, 5
kilometers from the police station, was set ablaze by unknown
people. The fire razed documents and badly damaged the building,
but claimed no fatalities.

 On Wednesday evening, unknown assailants stabbed five ojek
(motorcycle taxi) drivers in Wamena, leaving four of them and
the fifth in critical condition.

 Two hours later, a fuel storage tank at state oil company PT
Pertamina’s depot in Biak exploded, killing a bystander.

 Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu said the explosion was simply an
accident, while the attacks were intended to disrupt the
elections in Papua.

 The Papuan Church Communion has sent a letter to the governor
ahead of Easter to voice its concern over the dire security
situation.

 “Calamity, disease, accidents and violence never seem to leave
our daily lives. Many people live in worry and fear,” the
letter, dated April 8 and made available to The Jakarta Post,
read.

 The communion expressed concern over the arrests of youth
activists charged with sedition.

 It also questioned an April 3 raid on the Papua Customary
Council office, claiming it was done without proper legal basis.
Police seized and destroyed equipment from the office and
arrested 15 activists over an issue of International Lawyers for
West Papua (ILWP) abroad.

 Police earlier said the men were arrested for their alleged
involvement in a subversion movement.

 The arrests continued on April 6 and 7, with dozens of West
Papua National Committee activists detained for sedition.

 The communion also pointed out the climate of fear spawned by
the recent violence in the Tingginambut area, Puncak Jaya
regency, which was reminiscent of similar violence around
Christmas time in 2006 and 2007 that forced many people to seek
refuge.

Different approach is needed, says DPR member

 Following a series of actions and clashes in the past week or so between
security forces and an OPM unit under Goliat Tabuni in the Puncak Jaya
region of Tinggi Nambut, Indonesia has announced that additional troops
will be sent to the area while the police have started so-called
'penyisiran' or sweepings, to hunt down those responsible.

 However, this response has prompted a Papuan member of the Indonesian
parliament, the DPR, Dr John Manansang to call for a different approach.

 According to Cenderawasih Pos on 14 March, he said that in responding to
recent OPM actions one of which resulted in the killing of four
civilians, the reasons for such actions should be taken into account. He
says that a doctor examining a patient will not only consider the
symptoms but try to discover the reasons for the symptoms and suggested
that a similar approach should be taken towards actions by the OPM and
its armed wing, TPN.

 These include for instance the attitude taken by the local government
who see the Papuans as having no right to the land there and therefore
have decided to hunt them down, and brand them as 'separatists'. ''This
is very distressing to these people,' he said. According to Papuan
tradition, everyone on a piece of land feels that they have entitlement
to that land. 'Branding them as separatists and forcing them to flee
and live in the forest, means that they are denied the right to live on
their own land.'

 The local government, he said, should use a different approach, a
'social-cultural approach'.

 He very much regretted the recent call by the local government for these
people to be hunted down and arrested. (This refers to a recent call by
the local bupati - district chief - for the army and the police to hunt
the people down.)

 'Such an erroneous approach only further corners them and could have
catastrophic consequences.' He regretted the way that they were being so
strongly condemned. The local government should try to handle the matter
in a way that brings greater security in the region, he said.

[SPMNews-Jungles]

 According to the Commander in of TRPB, "the Bombs being revealed are
orchestrated by the Indonesian army and police. All fighters of TRPB have
been withdrawn once in one hour and nobody is wandering around in the
city. We only had something to do with the General Elections, not even a
day after that."

 This was a reply from the TRPB commander when SPMNews contacted him about
the bombs being found a day after the attack in Posel Abepura.

 He repeatedly said, "You know Indonesian army and police, they mostly
provoke and orchestrate many events and conflicts in West Papua. We have
said before, we have something to do on the 9 April 2009, not before and
not after that."

 They Indonesian army also paid the PNG Foreign Affaris officials and they
came to the TRPB HQ asking Gen. Wenda to go to Wamena and fight there, not
in Vanimo or around the border area. Gen. A. Tabi as his Sec-General
replied, "This is not a war against Wamena and other tribes, but it is for
the whole New Guinea Island, and the capital of West Papua is not Wamena,
but Numbay."

 The Indonesian army already arrested 5 students at Ninmin Students
Dormitory in Abepura, one was shot dead, two hospitalised.

 Previus report from TRPB also said, "6 students from another Student
Resident in Expo Waeana, a small town between Sentani (Airport) and Numbay
also arrested and their fate is unknown."

 Regarding this war, SPMNews once again asked Mr. Wenda, "Do you plan to
continue this fight, even though you said only on 9 April 2009?" He
replied, "We are under the command, nobody is acting outside the order,
nobody will do things without command. The order was clear, ONE DAY
OPERATION. If it becomes two days or more, that Indonesians are making
them up. But you must know that all Papuans, and particularly the fighters
have been at war since 1960-s, there have been no ceasefire as far as I
know. Anytime from now, anything can happen, but again, nothing will
happen outside the order."

 SPMNews then asked him, "You are actually saying the war will continue?"
Gen. Wenda replied, "It has been continuing, it will stop until Austraia
and New Zealand intervene into this conflict that they know well why and
how to solve it."

 SPMNews further asked, "You are also saying this war will affect those two
countries?"

 Gen Tabi, "We are talking about geopolitics, regional security and
humanity. How can these two democratic countries allow us being wipped out
from our land just for the sake of the resources here, undermining our
dignity as human beins and identity as Melanesians for almost a half
century now? This war is spreading accross Melanesia. All Melanesians from
Sorong to Futuna and Fiji are crying because of the genocide happening
here for such a long time, just in front of our eyes. We are now
organising regionally to fight against this neo-colonial state. The
expansion of so-called "Majapahit Empire" as planned in 1961, based on the
dream of GREAT INDONESIA from Sumatra to Samarai (PNG) is more and more
becoming a reality, and that means many things, including the expansion of
Islam and religius fundamentalism/extremeism that has been very fertile in
Indonesian politics and society.

 You can come here at the border areas from north to south and will be
surprised how logging companies and Islam expansion are going
hand-in-hand. Of course, business/trading and the expansion of modern
religions are not a new phenomenon. We have seen it in all modern
religions.

 Now, how can Australia/New Zealand as the Western States in the Southern
hemisphere be save when this very fertile state for terrorism is
expanding? I hope this generation will not leave problems and nightmares
for their unwise polices just for temporary resources exploitations to our
future generations."

 ENDS

Reports coming from various sources in West Papua, particularly Abepura
district that the TRPB has launched attacks on TNI/Polri from 02:00AM
local time and the war still continues right now, even right now 04:11AM.

 Young Papuan, Andy Gobay was shot dead by the Indonesian Army at Polsek
Abepura.

 2 Indonesian Intelligence were found dead in Wamena, they were wandering
around pretending as motorbike drivers that are used as a
paid-transportation (Ojeck) that transport people for prices higher thatn
normal prices.

 Kali Kabur bridge nearby PNG-West Papua Border was also bombed. The
distance between the bridge and the second army post after the first one
at the border is just about 100M from the birdge.

 The report says, "All these are as protests to say that Papuans do not
want to get involved in any political activities to do with Indonesia,
particularly this General Elections" These attacks are organised by Gen.
TRPB Mathias Wenda, Commander in Chief of TRPB (West Papua Revolutionary
Army).

 NB:
- To know more about TPN/OPM and TRPB, please go to
http://trpb.melanesianews.org

Jakarta Globe April 4, 2009

 News / National / Article

 Christian Motte & Putri Prameshwari

 Massive March in Papua Poll Protest

 Thousands of people took part in a pro-independence rally in Papua
Province on Friday, calling for a boycott of the legislative elections.

 The rally, in which students and activists from several universities and
religious and social organizations took part, was held in the town of
Nabire.

 Zet Giyai, the chairman of a pro-independence group, the National
Committee for West Papua, or KNPB, said the rally was held to show support
for the recent establishment of the International Lawyers for West Papua,
an international pressure group for the Papua cause based in the United
States.

 “We Papuans fully support the establishment of the ILWP. … The
support of West Papuan people can be seen in this crowd. This is the
biggest action by Papuans in Nabire,” Giyai said.

 He claimed that some 10,000 people had attended the rally but the figure
could not be independently confirmed. He also said that rallies would
continue to be held until April 6.

 As some in the crowd shouted the word “Papua,” others
responded, shouting “Free.” A scream of
“Elections” was met by a thundering “Boycott!”

 Several protesters told the Jakarta Globe that they believed Papua was not
a part of Indonesia, and banners displaying the outlawed Morning Star
separatist flag were on display until police forced them to be taken down.

 Mekky, a native student who joined the rally, said Papuans had chosen to
end the “oppression in the province this year.”

 Addressing the protesters by the local election commission office, where
the protest ended, Reverend Daud Auwe said, “We want independence,
not an election.”

 Pro-independence sentiments have been on the rise in the sprawling western
half of New Guinea Island since the fall of the iron-fisted rule of former
President Suharto in 1998.

 Sentiments were fueled by discontent over the alleged siphoning of the
region’s natural riches by the central government, leaving little
for the region, as well as widespread human rights abuse by government
security forces there.

 The government attempted to curb pro-independence sentiments by according
broad special autonomy for Papua in 2001, giving it a greater part of the
revenues from its natural resources as well as enhancing locals’ say
in decision-making in the region.

 Meanwhile, in the capital city of Jayapura, Papua Police Chief Bagus Eko
Danto said 15 activists, mostly students, were detained for questioning
for allegedly vandalizing a car.

 However, Victor Yeimo, a local KNPB activist, said they were arrested on
suspicion of trying to organize a rally