Home / News / Urgent Appeals / UPDATE (Indonesia): Army Special Forces threaten social workers to find out Father Johanes Djonga's whereabouts in Papua

UPDATE (Indonesia): Army Special Forces threaten social workers to find out Father Johanes Djonga's whereabouts in Papua

November 21, 2007

UPDATE ON URGENT ACTION UPDATE ON URGENT ACTION UPDATE ON URGENT ACTION

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Update on Urgent Appeal

21 November 2007

[RE: UP-130-2007: INDONESIA: Continuing threat on the head of the Human Rights Commission in Papua; soldier threatens to kill a priest; UA-209-2007: INDONESIA: Human rights activists from West Papua targeted following meetings with UN Human Rights Defenders Special Representative]
------------------------------------------------------
UP-156-2007: INDONESIA: Army Special Forces threaten social workers to find out Father Johanes Djonga's whereabouts in Papua

INDONESIA: Freedom of expression; threats on human rights defenders
------------------------------------------------------

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the continuing threats of social workers by the Army Special Forces in Papua since September 2007 to get location of Father Johanes Djonga working for human rights. The AHRC has earlier raised the alarm about the army's threats against the Father Djonga but threats are still made to his friends and social workers who are known as the leaders of villages. The AHRC is concerned about the government's inaction against these repeated threats by the army.

UPDATED INFORMATION:

As described in our previous appeal, Father Johanes Djonga, a Catholic priest, has been receiving threats and intimidation from army in Waris District, Papua since August of this year. Army Special Forces (Kopassus) of Waris District accused him of being provocative and claimed that he was betraying the Indonesian government (UP-130-2007). Please also see previous case citing threats against human rights defenders in Papua (UA-209-2007)

It is reported that due to the precarious condition in his parish community, Waris District, Father Djonga went hiding following numerous threats since August 2007. However in his absence, various threats are reported to have been addressed to the people, such as colleagues and friends, who had been working closely for human rights with him.

On 2 October 2007, Pius Amo, a student of Waena Pastoral Institute in Jayapura, was yelled at by Lieutenant Agus, Military Commander of Waris District, "You! You are Father Djonga men!" Though there was no physical attack against Pius Amo, it is reported that Pius is psychologically affected by the encounter and scared at the sight of military officers since the incident because the situation is not stable.

On October 26, First Lieutenant Usman, Commander of the Army Special Forces (Kopassus) of Waris District, Papua province, threatened Gaspar May, Chief of Banda tribe, and Theodorus Meho, a well known figure who were also one of the Father's colleagues in Waris District. When they were attending a ceremony, Usman said that they would vanish as a result of their relationship with Father Djonga.

It is also reported that on October 28, Usman and some military personnel tried to forcefully intoxicate a few men in an attempt to get information on whereabouts of Father Djonga in Waris District.

The people of Waris District have asked Father Djonga not to come back because the situation is still unsafe. People in the Waris District are becoming increasingly scared due to the threats from the Kopasus, who keep asking for the whereabouts of Father Djonga. The continuing threats to Father Djonga are strongly believed to be as a result of his involvement in human rights work. Few months back, he submitted a report to the governor of Papua and the military commander in the city of Jayapura which criticized the military action in the borders of Waris and Papua New Guinea.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please immediately write to the concerned authorities listed below demanding a fair and impartial investigation into the continuous threats and intimidations against human rights activist in Papua. Please urge them to ensure that such intimidation act shall be halted and those responsible shall be brought to justice. The integrity of the Father Djonga must be ensured.

Suggested letter:

Dear __________,

INDONESIA: Army Special Forces threaten social workers to get Father Johanes Djonga's whereabouts in Papua

Name of persons receiving threats:
1. Father Johanes Djongak, a Catholic priest, Papua
2. Gaspar May, Chief of Banda tribe, Papua
3. Theodorus Meho, a social worker, Papua
4. Pius Amo, a student of Waena Pastoral Institute in Jayapura city, Papua
5. Some villagers of Waris District were traumatized by the continuing intimidation by the army
Name of alleged perpetrators:
1. First Lieutenant Usman, Commander of the Army Special Forces (Kopassus) in Waris district, Papua
2. Other army personnel
3. Lieutenant Agus, Military Commander of Waris District (Danramil)
Date of incident: Since August 2007 to now
Place of incident: Waris District, Papua

I am gravely concerned by the continuing intimidation and threats committed by the Commander of the Army Special Forces (Kopassus) in Waris district, Papua province, First Lieutenant Usman, and the soldiers under his command towards Father Johanes Djonga, directly and indirectly.

Recently the intimidation has transformed into indirect threats subjected on those who are close with Father Djonga, such as the servants in his parish community and few local villager of Waris District. Due to the unsafe condition experienced by him, Father Djonga went hiding following numerous threats.

As a member of UN Human Rights Council and signatory party to the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, the Indonesian government has a responsibility to guarantee the safety of human rights defenders. In particular it must uphold its obligation to international standards specifically article 12.2 of the Declaration, which says, "The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration."

I am informed that regardless of the above-mentioned facts, the Indonesian military continues to attack and intimidate human rights defenders with impunity. This is ensured by the authorities' failure to investigate such incidents and to punish those found to be responsible. Attacks on human rights defenders should be seen as attempts to also silence the victims they represent and amount to further attacks on human rights themselves.

In light of the above, I strongly urge you to order an immediate and thorough investigation into these threats made by the army personnel against the social workers without delay. The concerned authorities must exhaust all means to afford protection for them and to ensure their safety. If found that the allegations are true, appropriate charges and disciplinary action must be imposed upon them promptly.

I strongly urge the Indonesian authorities to ensure that all attacks, threats and acts of intimidation cease and all other barriers to the work of human rights defenders are immediately halted. The government must ensure that the afore-mentioned cases are at once and impartially investigated and that all persons found responsible are brought to justice, with adequate reparation being provided to the victims. The worsening human rights situation in the province must be addressed without delay.

I trust that you immediate take action on this serious matter.

-----------------------

Yours sincerely,

----------------

PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
President
Republic of Indonesia
Presidential Palace
Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara
Jakarta Pusat 10010
INDONESIA
Tel: + 62 21 384 5627 ext 1003
Fax: + 62 21 231 4138 / 345 2685 / 345 7782

2. Mr. Hendarman Supandji
Attorney General
Kejaksaan Agung RI
Jl. Sultan Hasanuddin No. 1
Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Tel: + 62 21 722 1337 / 739 7602
Fax: + 62 21 725 0213

3. Gen. Sutanto
Chief of National Police
Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3
Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 721 8012
Fax: +62 21 720 7277

4. Gen. Djoko Santoso
Commander in Chief of Indonesian Army Force
Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara No. 2
Jakarta Pusat
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 381 1745
Fax: +62 21 381 1089

5. Mr. Ifdhal Kasim
Chairperson
National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas HAM)
Jl. Latuharhary No. 4B Menteng
Jakarta Pusat 10310
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 392 5230
Fax: +62 21 315 1042 / 392 5227

6. Ms. Hina Jilani
Special Representative of the Secretary General on the situation of human rights defenders
Room 1-040, OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 906 8670

Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrchk.org)

Document Type :
Urgent Appeal Update
Document ID :
UP-156-2007
Countries :
Campaigns :
Issues :
Document Actions
Share |
Subscribe to our Mailing List
Follow AHRC
Extended Introduction: Urgent Appeals, theory and practice

A need for dialogue

Many people across Asia are frustrated by the widespread lack of respect for human rights in their countries.  Some may be unhappy about the limitations on the freedom of expression or restrictions on privacy, while some are affected by police brutality and military killings.  Many others are frustrated with the absence of rights on labour issues, the environment, gender and the like. 

Yet the expression of this frustration tends to stay firmly in the private sphere.  People complain among friends and family and within their social circles, but often on a low profile basis. This kind of public discourse is not usually an effective measure of the situation in a country because it is so hard to monitor. 

Though the media may cover the issues in a broad manner they rarely broadcast the private fears and anxieties of the average person.  And along with censorship – a common blight in Asia – there is also often a conscious attempt in the media to reflect a positive or at least sober mood at home, where expressions of domestic malcontent are discouraged as unfashionably unpatriotic. Talking about issues like torture is rarely encouraged in the public realm.

There may also be unwritten, possibly unconscious social taboos that stop the public reflection of private grievances.  Where authoritarian control is tight, sophisticated strategies are put into play by equally sophisticated media practices to keep complaints out of the public space, sometimes very subtly.  In other places an inner consensus is influenced by the privileged section of a society, which can control social expression of those less fortunate.  Moral and ethical qualms can also be an obstacle.

In this way, causes for complaint go unaddressed, un-discussed and unresolved and oppression in its many forms, self perpetuates.  For any action to arise out of private frustration, people need ways to get these issues into the public sphere.

Changing society

In the past bridging this gap was a formidable task; it relied on channels of public expression that required money and were therefore controlled by investors.  Printing presses were expensive, which blocked the gate to expression to anyone without money.  Except in times of revolution the media in Asia has tended to serve the well-off and sideline or misrepresent the poor.

Still, thanks to the IT revolution it is now possible to communicate with large audiences at little cost.  In this situation there is a real avenue for taking issues from private to public, regardless of the class or caste of the individual.

Practical action

The AHRC Urgent Appeals system was created to give a voice to those affected by human rights violations, and by doing so, to create a network of support and open avenues for action.  If X’s freedom of expression is denied, if Y is tortured by someone in power or if Z finds his or her labour rights abused, the incident can be swiftly and effectively broadcast and dealt with. The resulting solidarity can lead to action, resolution and change. And as more people understand their rights and follow suit, as the human rights consciousness grows, change happens faster. The Internet has become one of the human rights community’s most powerful tools.   

At the core of the Urgent Appeals Program is the recording of human rights violations at a grass roots level with objectivity, sympathy and competence. Our information is firstly gathered on the ground, close to the victim of the violation, and is then broadcast by a team of advocates, who can apply decades of experience in the field and a working knowledge of the international human rights arena. The flow of information – due to domestic restrictions – often goes from the source and out to the international community via our program, which then builds a pressure for action that steadily makes its way back to the source through his or her own government.   However these cases in bulk create a narrative – and this is most important aspect of our program. As noted by Sri Lankan human rights lawyer and director of the Asian Human Rights Commission, Basil Fernando:

"The urgent appeal introduces narrative as the driving force for social change. This idea was well expressed in the film Amistad, regarding the issue of slavery. The old man in the film, former president and lawyer, states that to resolve this historical problem it is very essential to know the narrative of the people. It was on this basis that a court case is conducted later. The AHRC establishes the narrative of human rights violations through the urgent appeals. If the narrative is right, the organisation will be doing all right."

Patterns start to emerge as violations are documented across the continent, allowing us to take a more authoritative, systemic response, and to pinpoint the systems within each country that are breaking down. This way we are able to discover and explain why and how violations take place, and how they can most effectively be addressed. On this path, larger audiences have opened up to us and become involved: international NGOs and think tanks, national human rights commissions and United Nations bodies.  The program and its coordinators have become a well-used tool for the international media and for human rights education programs. All this helps pave the way for radical reforms to improve, protect and to promote human rights in the region.