Oil palm plantations? Carbon credits? Papua’s forests targeted

Down to Earth, November 2007

West Papua / forests:

Large areas of Papua’s rich and diverse forests are being targeted by Indonesian and overseas investors for conversion into oil palm plantations. At the same time, discussions are in progress to reserve large areas of Papua’s forest to generate carbon credits for trade on international markets. Decisions about these developments will very probably be made over the heads of the people who will be most directly affected by them: the indigenous ... read more

Posted on 11:46 AM in Agro Fuels, Human Rights, Indonesia, Land & Indigenous Rights, Mining, Papua, Publications, Rainforest, Environment & Climate, Watch Indonesia! in the Media
Tags: agrofuel ("biofuel"), mining, indigenous people, Indonesia, carbon, land rights, human rights, military, palm oil, Papua, plantations, Police, rain forest destruction, security sector, special autonomy, impunity, environment and climate, economy and business

Carbon dealers – Papua and Aceh

28 September 2007

Marianne Klute

Aceh and Papua have taken the initiative in Indonesia against global warming: They want to limit the destruction of tropical forests and thus reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They are negotiating finance mechanisms for forest protection, and Aceh has even decided to impose a logging moratorium. Nobody can predict whether those steps will lead to success. Two things are certain: They are challenging Indonesia’s climate and forestry policies, and they will cost industrialised nations ... read more

Posted on 06:43 AM in Aceh, Indonesia, Information and Analysis, Papua, Publications, Environment & Climate
Tags: Aceh, agrofuel ("biofuel"), Indonesia, carbon, palm oil, Papua, plantations, rain forest destruction, special autonomy, environment and climate, economy and business

The legislative deliberations on the Law on the Governance of Aceh

21 September 2007

by Sebastian Braun *

15 August 2005 was a historic moment for the people of Aceh. On this day, the government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka, GAM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), effectively terminating the armed conflict that had raged more than three decades in the province and cost over ten thousand lives. However, this accord did not spell the end of the ‘peace-keeping’ process but rather marked its beginning. Point ... read more

Posted on 12:37 PM in Aceh, democracy, Indonesia, Information and Analysis, Publications
Tags: Aceh, democracy, Gerakan Aceh Merdeka (GAM), Indonesia, judicial system, conflict resolution, military, political parties, rule of law, government, special autonomy

What Future for Papua?

April 2007

Alex Flor, Marianne Klute, Petra Stockmann

The Helsinki agreement of 2005 marks the historic peace process for Indonesia’s westernmost province Aceh. After three decades of violence and repression, the long self determination conflict is in the process of being resolved. Both the Free Aceh Movement and the Indonesian government have made substantial concessions for this to happen. However, for the second most burning and long lasting self-determination conflict, concerning Indonesia’s easternmost region Papua, formerly ... read more

Posted on 01:52 PM in Human Rights, Indonesia, Land & Indigenous Rights, Mining, Papua, Publications, Environment & Climate, Watch Indonesia! in the Media, Watch's Studies and Reports
Tags: mining, indigenous people, Indonesia, conflict resolution, land rights, Megawati Sukarnoputri, OPM, Papua, law, reformasi, rain forest destruction, regional conflicts, special autonomy

(Deutsch) Zweifel an der Autonomiegesetzgebung in West Papua

Sorry, this entry is not available in English.
German version

Posted on 02:27 PM in Conference Autonomy for Papua, June 2003, Human Development, Human Rights, Indonesia, Land & Indigenous Rights, Papua, Publications, Regional Conflicts, Watch Indonesia! in the Media
Tags: democracy, Indonesia, corruption, land rights, human rights, Papua, law, Freedom of Expression, regional conflicts, special autonomy

(Deutsch) In Indonesiens Provinz Papua droht neuer Konflikt

Sorry, this entry is not available in English.
German version

Posted on 09:02 AM in Indonesia, Papua, Publications, Regional Conflicts, Watch Indonesia! in the Media
Tags: violence, Indonesia, conflict resolution, Papua, regional conflicts, special autonomy

Urgent Appeal: Imminent escalation of violence in Papua needs to be addressed in a level-headed manner

August 05, 2005

August 15th, 2005 may possibly – hopefully – be recorded as a day of peace in Indonesian history books. Two days ahead of the 60th anniversary of Indonesia’s independence, the government is going to sign a peace accord with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). The bloody conflict in Indonesia’s westernmost province that has lasted for more than 30 years may thus soon be past.

Watch Indonesia! welcomes the accord and calls on all sides to contribute constructively to the ... read more

Posted on 08:10 AM in Aceh, Indonesia, Papua, Publications, Regional Conflicts, Watch's Press Releases & Statements
Tags: Aceh, violence, Indonesia, conflict resolution, Papua, protest action, regional conflicts, special autonomy

Ungracious reception of SBY’s Kado Natal for Papua

Information and Analysis, 4 March 2005

 

by Petra Stockmann

 

Why the Government Regulation on the Papua People’s Council has been greeted with protest rather than joy

 

On December 26th, 2004, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) paid a visit to Papua. As a “Kado Natal”, a Christmas gift, he brought along with him a long overdue piece of legislation, namely the Government Regulation on the Papua People’s Council. The Papua People’s Council (Majelis Rakyat Papua, MRP) is a special ... read more

Posted on 01:25 PM in democracy, Indonesia, Information and Analysis, Judiciary & Administration, Land & Indigenous Rights, Papua, Publications
Tags: Abdurrahman Wahid, democracy, Habibie, Indonesia, judicial system, conflict resolution, Megawati Sukarnoputri, Papua, parliament, law, rule of law, government, special autonomy, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, constitution, elections

Christian and Islamic fundamentalists in Aceh

12 January 2005

by Alex Flor

The Indonesian military is tightening its control over relief organizations. From now on, aid workers are only allowed to move freely in the two towns hardest hit by the tsunami disaster, Banda Aceh and Meulaboh. All activities outside these two cities require special permission and military escort. The official reason for this given by the Indonesian Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – TNI) is the imminent danger of attacks by the independence movement GAM ... read more

Posted on 09:24 PM in Aceh, Indonesia, Information and Analysis, Publications
Tags: Aceh, Gerakan Aceh Merdeka (GAM), humanitarian aid, Indonesia, military, religion, special autonomy, tsunami, independence

Constitutional Court’s ruling on the partition of Papua

24 November 2004

von Petra Stockmann

On November 11th, 2004, the Constitutional Court eventually announced its ruling concerning the application for judicial review of Law No. 45/1999 on the Establishment of the Province Central Irian Jaya, the Province West Irian Jaya, the Regency Paniai, the Regency Mimika, the Regency Puncak Jaya and the Municipality Sorong. The Court declared Law 45/1999 unconstitutional and thus invalid as of the date of the verdict. However, in its legal considerations the Court states it ... read more

Posted on 03:30 PM in democracy, Indonesia, Information and Analysis, Judiciary & Administration, Papua, Publications
Tags: Indonesia, judicial system, Megawati Sukarnoputri, Papua, parliament, rule of law, government, special autonomy, constitution