Good Afternoon Kossacks.
I hope today's post finds you all well. Apologies for not posting "The Week in Indigenous Peoples Rights" last week, I wasted three or four days trying to remember how many homes I own, and just couldn't get around to it (turns out the answer is none; turns out I rent an apartment).
Anyways, this week we'll be looking at what's going on in the Peruvian Amazon and West Papua.
First, an update on the study Oil, Biodiversity and Indigenous Peoples in the Western Amazon, that I wrote about a week ago Wednesday: In the first week since releasing the study, there have been about 200 news stories about it; from South Africa, to London, to Italy, Germany, Poland, Peru, Brazil,... Even Time is covering it! They've got a great interview with my co-author, Dr. Matt Finer, on their podcast.
Now, to this week's news.
West Papua: Indonesia's President Disses United States Congress.
On July 29, forty members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono urging the "immediate and unconditional release" of two political prisoners: Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage. Karma and Pakage are serving 10 and 15-year prison terms, respectively, for raising the Morning Star flag during a peaceful celebration in Abepura. The President's spokesperson, Dino Patti Djalal, said:
"The president will not reply to the letter... We frequently receive letters from the US Congress which acts as if it had the absolute authority to comment on issues in other countries."
How's that for Bush destroying America's moral authority. Here's a country that receives tons of aid, including unlimited military "aid" from us, and the President won't even respond to our Congress (I hope Congress remembers this when it's again time to vote on aid to Indonesia)
The Morning Star flag is an important symbol for the indigenous peoples of West Papua. In January of 1961, after over 100 years of Dutch colonial rule, West Papuans held their first national election. 28 members of the New Guinea Council were sworn in to office in a ceremony that was attended by Australia, Britain, France, Holland, New Zealand and other Pacific Forum nations (except the USA). The Netherlands had been preparing them for decolonization, for independence. Things were coming together, the people were excited. They had the first official raising of the Morning Star Flag, their flag, on December 1, 1961. Then the USA, through the New York Agreement and the UN mandated fraudulent procees known as the Act of Free Choice, decided that West Papua should be given to Indonesia (a gesture that was meant to appease the first President of Indonesia, Sukarno, and hopefully keep him from becoming too friendly with the USSR).
Since taking control of West Papua, the Government of Indonesia has waged a campaign of genocide against the West Papuan people. A Yale Law School report estimates that over 100,000 indigenous Papuans have been killed by Indonesian military and police since Indonesia took control of the region. The report -
"Confirms Crimes Against Humanity by Indonesia in West Papua;
Finds Strong Evidence of Genocide Against Indigenous Papuans"
As you can imagine, the people of West Papua aren't too happy with the way Indonesia governs. So every year, on December 1, they raise the Morning Star. They raise the flag to tell the world that they still exist; that the killings and human rights abuses continue; and that they want the world to pay attention. Which brings us back to Yusak and Karma -
Yusak Pakage
Filep Karma
-
Amnesty International has declared them prisoners of conscience. I've gotten reports that Mr. Karma has been beaten. I spent a few days in jail in West Papua and, believe me, the Indonesian police and military are, in general, not nice people. Please take action to help these two men get released. Below is a copy of the letter that was sent by 40 members of the US House of Representatives, use it as a model and send letters to:
Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
President of Indonesia
c/o The Ambassador
Embassy of Indonesia
2020 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036
fax: (202)775-5365
e-mail: komwsh@embassyofindonesia.org
please send copies of correspondence to lil at igc dot org
Dr. H Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
President of the Republic of Indonesia
Istana Merdeka
Jakarta 10110
Indonesia
Your Excellency,
We the undersigned members of the U.S. Congress respectfully call to your attention the cases of Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage who, in May 2005, were convicted and sentenced for their involvement in the legitimate and peaceful exercise of their freedom of expression in Abepura, Papua on December 1, 2004. Amnesty International has declared the two 'prisoners of conscience.' We also call your attention to reports by reputable sources that Mr. Karma was beaten by the police following his arrest. There are also reliable reports that police at the scene of the demonstration beat a human rights defender who sought to photograph the violent police action against peaceful demonstrators.
The unjust imprisonment of Mr. Karma and Mr. Pakage occurs in the context of a crackdown on Papuan human rights defenders, which has included general public threats by senior military officials and intimidation directed at individuals by anonymous figures. This campaign of threats and intimidation has targeted Papuans who met with and gave testimony about human rights abuse to a senior UN human rights representative when she visited Papua at your government's invitation in June 2007.
We urge you to take action to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Karma and Mr. Pakage. Any security officials who mistreated Mr. Karma or who may have employed inappropriate force against peaceful demonstrators should be prosecuted. Such steps would be an important indicator that Indonesia, as a member of the UN Human Rights Council, takes its international obligations to fully respect universally recognized human rights.
In accordance with all applicable rules and regulations, we thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Patrick J. Kennedy Thad McCotter
Raul Grijalva Maurice Hinchey
Barbara Lee Joe Crowley
Joseph Pitts Lloyd Doggett
Tammy Baldwin Carolyn Maloney
Barney Frank David Wu
Mark Kirk Linda Sanchez
Tim Walz Peter DeFazio
Mike Honda Zoe Lofgren
Lois Capps Albio Sires
Jan Schakowsky Ed Towns
Jim McGovern Sheila Jackson-Lee
Jesse Jackson Jr. Danny Davis
Ellen Tauscher Betty Sutton
Tom Allen Eliot Engel
Jim Langevin Chakah Fattah
Ed Pastor Rush Holt
Sam Farr Lucille Roybal-Allard
Steve Rotham Diane Watson
Jim Oberstar Darlene Hooley
One bit of good news in West Papua - On friday I received word that Indonesia has finally removed Col. Burhanuddin Siagian from his command in West Papua. Siagian is a criminal who faces two indictments in East Timor for crimes against humanity committed in 1999.
Indigenous Peoples of the Peruvian Amazon Force Government to Take Action
As I wrote in my last "Week in Indigenous Peoples Rights", thousands of indigenous Amazonians in Peru non-violently took over oil drilling stations, a hydroelectric damn, and shut down traffic on the region's major roads and rivers. The protests were in response to new laws passed by the government that make it easier for oil, logging and mining companies to take control of their territories. After over a week of protests, the people have been dismantling their blockades, after Peru's Congressional Commission on Andean, Amazonian and Afro-Peruvian peoples, the Environment and Ecology proposed a bill to meet the main demand of the protesters, to repeal two laws – Legislative Decrees 1015 and 1073.
The President of Peru, Alan Garcia, is pissed. He's been working overtime to facilitate the destruction of the Peruvian Amazon, and has already leased most of it out to oil companies. So he got on the TV a couple of nights ago, and here's what he said about repealing Legislative Decrees 1015 and 1073 (both of which he approved using special powers granted to him by the Congress):
"I am obligated to say to Peru that it would be a grave, historic error that would set back change and leave these agricultural communities in poverty and marginalized for another century"
Yes, Mr. Garcia believes that allowing people to maintain control of the land that they depend on for their existence is a "set back". Allowing people to decide whether or not they want their land and water polluted with oil is "against change". President Garcia's actions have already caused untold harm to the indigenous peoples of Peru, and erased decades of hard-won gains that they have made with their blood, their sweat and yes, their tears.
Now is the time to show these people support. Make no mistake, this is the front lines in the battle to save the Peruvian Amazon and all it's inhabitants. If they do not successfully repeal these unjust laws - if their rights are not recognized and respected - the consequences, to all of us, will be enormous.
Take Action: Please write to the government of Peru. Tell them to:
- Revoke Laws #1073 and #1015.
2. Nullify hydrocarbon, natural gas, mining and forestry
concessions in indigenous territories.
3. Re-establish the inalienable collective rights to indigenous
territories, as established in the Constitution in 1979.
4. Comply with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples and with Convention 169 of the International
Labour Organisation.
Send letters to:
S.E. Alan Garcia
Presidente de la Republica del Peru
Palacio de Gobierno
Plaza de Armas
Lima 1
Peru
Send an email here
Ambassador Felipe Ortiz de Zevallos
Embassy of Peru
3001 Garrison St,
Washington DC 20008
fax: (202) 537-5827
e-mail: foz@embassyofperu.us
also send copies to lil at igc dot org
That's all for now.
If you'd like to make a donation to support indigenous peoples who are at the front lines in the struggle to create a more democratic, just and sustainable world please go to Land is Life.
photos from Peru courtesy of AIDESEP
photos of Filep and Yusak by S. Eben Kirksey
UPDATE
On Friday, Peru's Congress voted to repeal Laws 1015 and 1073. This is a huge victory. The President is threatening a veto, and things are going to get more interesting quickly.