Mako Tabuni (died June 14, 2012) [1] was a Papua New Guinea activist for Papuan interests, and the deputy chairman of the National Committee for West Papua.
Mako Tabuni (died June 14, 2012) [1] was a Papua New Guinea activist for Papuan interests, and the deputy chairman of the National Committee for West Papua.
On 19 November 2008 the National Committee for West Papua (abbreviated KNPB, Komite Nasional Papua Barat) was established by a number of Papuan ngo's. The KNPB campaigns for the right to self-determination for the people of Papua of West New Guinea. This right was withheld from the Papuans in 1969 with the Act of Free Choice, which was rigged. The KNPB advocates a referendum to determine the political future of West Papua (i.e. West New Guinea). It cooperates for this purpose with the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) and the International Lawyers for West Papua (ILWP).; [2] [3] Mako Tabuni was born in Wamena.[ citation needed ] Mako and members of his family were themselves victims of human rights violations in West Papua, 1980. [4]
In May 2012, a German tourist, Pieter Dietmar Helmut was non-fatally shot while swimming with his wife in Base G beach, the perpetrators were later revealed to be members of extremist faction of KNPB led by Mako Tabuni, three members were later caught and charged with manslaughter. [5] [6]
On June 14, 2012, Mako was killed, as he was walking near his home in Waena, without any further warning by Indonesian police in plain clothes, [7] [8] sparking massive and violent protests and riots. [9] Activists have since claimed that Tabuni was killed intentionally, which is a breach of the law. The police spokesman said that he was shot because he resisted arrest. [10] [11] However, the police view was challenged by eyewitnesses. These also claimed that Mako was still alive when he entered the police hospital in Jayapura and that he died while in police custody.
Indonesia President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono conceded that the Indonesian security forces have overreacted at times but also mentioned that the attacks were "on a small scale with limited victims." [12]
In an official statement, national police chief General Timur Pradopo said that Tabuni was killed after he grabbed a weapon from a policeman attempting to arrest him and escaped, [13] while also adding that investigation revealed that Tabuni had a loaded gun with 18 bullets. [14] He was wanted for "causing unrest in the province", [15] according to Papua police chief Major General Bigman Lumban Tobing.
Representatives of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence, who interviewed eyewitnesses, stated that Tabuni was suddenly and unexpectedly shot dead by an ununiformed gunman as he walked alone near a housing complex. [16] Following Tabuni's death, a large group of furious protesters went on a rampage in Jayapura, many of them carrying machetes and arrows. [17] Shops were closed during the mass riots, and many citizens were afraid to leave their homes. [18] But as the outrage worsens, tribal and independence leaders from are urging their followers to maintain discipline, fearing that a violent reaction will give the Indonesian police the justification they need to destroy the independence movement. Said political prisoner Selphius Bobii,
The killing of Tabuni is part of a scenario to destroy the Papuan struggle's commitment to a peaceful path and push Papuans towards violence. So let's control ourselves. Don't get caught in this scenario which will only weaken our peaceful struggle that right now is echoing across our country and up to the UN [19]
After Tabuni's death, police authorities initially refused to pass his body to his family, saying that they would perform Tabuni's burial themselves. They changed later their decision. Then, Tabuni's family could collect his body from the Bhayangkara Police Hospital, ahead of the burial, which took place on June 16, 2012, in Wamena. [20]
The Free Papua Movement or Free Papua Organization is a name given to independence movement based on Western New Guinea, seeking the secession of the territory currently administered by Indonesia as the provinces of Central Papua, Highland Papua, Papua, South Papua, Southwest Papua, and West Papua, also formerly known as Papua, Irian Jaya and West Irian.
Dortheys Hiyo Eluay was an Indonesian local politician from Irian Jaya turned West Papuan independence activist. Known as the former leader of Papua Presidium Council, he was known as the community leader in West Papua region. He was murdered by members of the Indonesian Army special forces command.
Terrorism in Indonesia refer to acts of terrorism that take place within Indonesia or attacks on Indonesian people or interests abroad. These acts of terrorism often target the government of Indonesia or foreigners in Indonesia, most notably Western visitors, especially those from the United States and Australia.
Wamena, also known as the District of Wamena, is a large town in the Western New Guinea region of Indonesia. It also serves as the seat of Jayawijaya Regency. It is the largest town in the province of Highland Papua, located in the Baliem Valley and had a population of 64,967 in the 2020 Census; the official estimate in mid 2022 was 65,766. Wamena is the urban centre of a rural area housing Highland Papua's highest concentration of population, with over 300,000 people inhabiting the Baliem Valley and surrounding areas. These people belong to a number of related ethnic groups, the most prominent of which are the Dani, Lani and Yali.
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The Papua conflict is an ongoing conflict in Western New Guinea (Papua) between Indonesia and the Free Papua Movement. Subsequent to the withdrawal of the Dutch administration from the Netherlands New Guinea in 1962 and implementation of Indonesian administration in 1963, the Free Papua Movement has conducted a low-intensity guerrilla war against Indonesia through the targeting of its military, police, and civilian populations.
The National Committee for West Papua is an organization in Papua region of Indonesia that campaigns peacefully for a self-determination referendum for the Papuan people of the region. It was established on 19 November 2008 by a number of Papuan non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The right to self-determination was provided for in an agreement between the Netherlands, Indonesia, and the UN in 1962.
Filep Jacob Semuel Karma was a West Papua independence activist. On 1 December 2004, he helped raise the Morning Star flag at a ceremony in Jayapura, for which he was charged with treason and given a fifteen-year prison sentence. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch protested on his behalf, the former designating him a prisoner of conscience. He was released on 19 November 2015.
Buchtar Tabuni is a Papuan independence activist, Chairman of the National Parliament of West Papua (PNWP), incorporating the National Committee for West Papua, and United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) representative.
Yusak Pakage is an Indonesian activist for Papuan independence, best known for his 2005–2010 imprisonment for raising the pro-independence Morning Star flag.
Mohamad, Ardyan (2016-03-31). "Filipina tolak TNI ikut bebaskan WNI disandera Abu Sayyaf". merdeka.com. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
The 2019 Papua protests were a series of protests by Papuans in Indonesia that began on 19 August 2019 and mainly took place across Indonesian Papua region in response to the arrests of 43 Papuan students in Surabaya, East Java for alleged disrespect of the Indonesian flag. Many of the protests involved thousands of participants, and some grew from local protests in Surabaya to demanding an independence referendum for the whole region. In several locations, the protests turned into general riots, resulting in the destruction of government buildings in Wamena, Sorong and Jayapura. Clashes between protesters and police resulted in injuries, with over 30 people killed from both the clashes and the rioting.
The 2006 Abepura incident was a clash between Papuan student protesters and Indonesian policemen and soldiers in the district of Abepura, Jayapura of Papua on 16 March 2006. The clashes killed four policemen and a soldier, and further injured tens of protesters.
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The following is the broad timeline for major events in the Papua conflict.
On 23 February 2023 (UTC+9), a riot broke out in Sinakma, Wamena, Highland Papua when a crowd of Papuans attacked Indonesian security personnel following the arrest of two Bataks merchants accused of child kidnapping. In the ensuing clash, a number of buildings were damaged, with twelve civilians and rioters killed including both merchants. Tens of security personnel and civilians were also injured.
Major General I Gusti Putu Danny Nugraha Karya was an Indonesian major general who previously served as the Head of Regional State Intelligence Agency until his death in combat. He replaced the late Brigjen Abdul Haris Napoleon who at the time, was appointed Expert Staff for Ideology and Politics at BIN. Following Danny's death, Napoleon was subsequently reappointed as Kabinda and served until he passed away due to a heart attack in 2022.