Transcript
ANDREAS HARSONO: Initially I got the report from Ruth Ogetay she is a public health specialist, assistant to Filep Karma who also used to help Papuan behind bars website. You might now that the website used to record the number of political prisoners inside Papua. But then last year they stopped updating because of financial difficulties. So Ruth used to work for them.
KOROI HAWKINS: Yes I met Ruth in Jayapura when we went to visit Filep Karma so I know Ruth and she is saying there is an apparent reduction is there?
AH: She has the list and she visited prisoners one prison to another and later it was confirmed by Sidney Jones based here in Jakarta. A specialist on, she is the director of an NGO on conflict [IPAC-Institute For Police Analysis of Conflict] often writing about Papua and she told my clique that she heard that from Anom Shirikar another Papuan behind bars a coalition member and even Anom said only one. Ruth said six.
KH: And so it seems like a reduction you said you have gone to authorities to seek confirmation of this but what have they said to you.
AH: Nothing they did not reply. Unofficially they contacted me once, they want to release the Moluccan political prisoners. But the one who contacted me was a junior staff that is why I said it was unofficial. I talk with the more senior official but they are not in the mood of confirming or denying that.
KH: Now one thing I remember talking to Filep Karma before he was released he was adamant that he wouldn't accept being released on the terms that he plead guilty to his charges. Are these prisoners being released being told that they have to plead guilty in order to secure their release?
AH: There are four mechanisms to release these prisoners one is clemency they ask for a clemency implicitly also means they are guilty. Almost all of them refuse to ask for clemency including the Moluccan prisoners. Second amnesty, amnesty should be approved by the parliament. The president already asked the parliament to provide them amnesty but they refuse. But amnesty implicitly also means they are guilty and then the third is abolition it is also should have a parliamentarian approval. But abolition means the case is abolished. So it doesn't mean that they are guilty, so there is no legal process the legal process is abolished. Usually political prisoners including Filep Karma agree to accept an abolition, in fact he used to accept an abolition from president Abdurrahman Wahid during his first imprisonment between 1998 until 2000. And then the fourth prison [sentence] reduction this is under the authority of the ministry of law and human rights and this is what the government is pursuing. Those who refuse to apologise they are given huge prison [sentence] reduction including Filep Karma.
KH: What has driven this? This is Jokowi isn't it driving this push to release Papuan prisoners.
AH: Yes.
KH: And what is his aim what is he saying what is his reasoning?
AH: From his public statement he wants to treat the Papuans better to be as equal as possible with other Indonesians he said something he said the words reconciliation.
KH: And is that genuine do you feel is it accepted in Papua that that is what he is trying to achieve?
AH: I think so although it is far from enough obviously.
KH: What from your perspective still needs to be done, from a human rights perspective in Papua?
AH: A lot, a lot investigation past human rights abuses a lot. I want to know if there is one single case that the police can resolve. I have been covering West Papua since 1996 how many years now? Twenty years. And I have never seen, I have never seen a single human rights case resolved thoroughly. Never, never.
KH: And do you see a way to rectify that? is there a solution? What are you calling for?
AH: International assistance UN special rapporteur on freedom of expression. Like Marie Leadbeater asked the New Zealand parliament that is something that can help and of course international journalists, international NGOs, international monitors they can help. We are not there to meddle to be involved in domestic politics in West Papua. We are there just to help both sides to get the truth. Foreign journalists are needed to enter West Papua because Indonesian journalists you know many of them rely too much on government information. Some of them even work as government informers police informers. So it is difficult to, their credibility is tarnished in Papua Indonesian journalists there. That is why it is important to have independent journalism and also Papuan journalists themselves many of them are praised by they are scared to touch sensitive subjects.
KH: Yes, yes intimidated beaten harassed, not only by the Indonesian side but also by the Free West Papuan side. Information is the first victim of this situation. The truth is the first victim here.
