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Over 100 detained for allegedly raising Morning Star flag
The police have preempted what they claim to have been coordinated subversive activities in Papua, arresting some 100 people including students and activists across Papua and West Papua provinces and naming some of them treason suspects given that they allegedly planned to raise the Bintang Kejora (Morning Star) flag, a symbol of the Papuan independence movement, ahead of a Dec
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span>The police have preempted what they claim to have been coordinated subversive activities in Papua, arresting some 100 people including students and activists across Papua and West Papua provinces and naming some of them treason suspects given that they allegedly planned to raise the Bintang Kejora (Morning Star) flag, a symbol of the Papuan independence movement, ahead of a Dec. 1 commemoration.
Among the first to be arrested was youth activist Pilipus Robaha, who was apprehended at his residence on Nov. 26 for having allegedly published a notice on social media urging the public to join the commemoration of Dec. 1, which some Papuans claim to be the birth of the West Papua nation in 1961, in Trikora Square in Abepura district, Jayapura. However, Pilipus was released the following day because of a lack of evidence.
The day after Pilipus’ arrest, the police took eight people in Manokwari into custody at 3 a.m. local time. West Papua Police chief Brig. Gen. Herry Rudolf Nahak said the police had confiscated 29 Morning Star flags, two cars and an unspecified number of posters and pamphlets from the eight arrested individuals.
“These eight people said they joined [the rally] because they had previously received an invitation to the rally on Borasi Square, Manokwari, on Wednesday morning,” Herry said.
As of Wednesday, the eight individuals were still being detained by the Manokwari Police. Seven of them have been named treason suspects, while one person has been named a witness.
The police have also named 11 people treason suspects in Sorong, West Papua. Herry said the arrests were related to a Morning Star flag-raising in Malanu district in Sorong municipality on Dec. 1.
The series of arrests continued, with 34 people taken into police custody in the evening of Nov. 30. The police said they were arrested as they were purportedly on their way to hoist a Morning Star flag in Trikora Square. The police also accused them of being members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) after confiscating TPNPB identification cards from them.
“We’ve already released 14 of them and named 20 as suspects. Six of the suspects have been charged under Article 2 of the Criminal Code [KUHP] and Article 106 of the Emergency Law on the possession of sharp weapons and treason,” said Jayapura Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Victor Makbon.
He went on to say that the rest of the suspects were charged under articles 106 and 160 of the KUHP on incitement to treason.
Karon Mambrasar, an attorney from the Papua Human Rights Lawyer Association (PAHAM), confirmed that 20 suspects had been charged with treason. He said PAHAM was preparing the legal documents required to assist the suspects.
On the morning of Dec. 1, the police apprehended four students during a Sunday service at the Gembala Baik Church in Abepura district. The students — identified as Marvin Yobe, Desepianus Dumupa, Paul Halapok and Devion Tekege — were taken into custody for allegedly wearing Morning Star symbols and carrying the flag.
Desepianus, one of the arrested students, said they wore Morning Star symbols to church to pray for independence.
“We prayed while carrying [Morning Star] flags so that God might hear our plea for Papuan independence,” Desepianus said.
That same day, the police summoned United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) director Markus Haluk for questioning regarding the Sunday service. The Fakfak Police also arrested 54 suspected TPNPB members in Warpa, Pikpik and Mambuni-Buni villages in Kayuni district, accusing them of planning to raise a Morning Star flag in front of the Fakfak regent’s residence. Local police also seized Rp 88 million (US$6,240) in cash from the arrested individuals.
“They were about to send the money to their senior leaders in Jayapura,” said Fakfak Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Ary Nyoto Setiawan, adding that the police had named around 20 of the arrested individuals suspects.
The students were released after questioning by the Abepura Police and the Jayapura Police the following day. However, that same day, the police also officially summoned Pastor James Kosay of the Gembala Baik Church for questioning regarding the incident in the church the previous day.
“About 20 police officers in plainclothes stormed the church. They frightened churchgoers,” James said.
The series of arrests has been met with anger by Papuans, who accused the police of mistreating those in their custody. Photos of a group of people, shirtless and bound and believed to have been taken during an arrest in Pikpik village, were posted on social media following the arrests, causing outrage.
“The word that best describes the pictures is ‘slavery’. People who are able to [enslave others] are individuals who practice colonial rule,” said Papuan independence activist Filep Karma in response to the images.
Fakfak Police have yet to confirm whether the photos were indeed taken during the arrest in Pikpik as they were unavailable for comment at the time of writing.
Between Tuesday and Wednesday, the police took in over 100 individuals for questioning regarding the Dec. 1 commemoration. Eighty-two people are still being detained in Fakfak, Manokwari and Sentani, 27 of whom have been named treason suspects, while the rest have since been released.
Human rights advocate Yan Christian Warinussy said the arrests ahead of Dec. 1 would only serve to taint the government’s reputation in the region.
“Dec. 1 should instead be regarded as a constructive element of Papuans’ ongoing efforts to re-examine their shared history for the sake of peace and unity,” Yan said, adding that the authorities should have engaged with Papuans affiliated with the independence movement in peaceful dialogue instead. (rfa)
