Police officers arrested five Papuan activists of the movement organisation Kunume Numbay on 15 August 2022. Mr Jimmy Boroway, Mrs Regina Wenda, Mr Brus Sangkek, Mr Roy Haluk, and Mrs Mina Tabuni organised a peaceful protest against the New York Agreement in the Dok V Atas area, Jayapura City. According to information received, police officers were already waiting at the meeting point as 14 Kunume Numbay arrived around 10:00 am.
The protesters held orations, opened banners, and played Papuan songs. At 10.25, the police officers dispersed the protest, seized all banners and arrested the five activists. They were brought to the Jayapura municipality police station (see photo, source: LBH Papua), where they were interrogated and detained. Lawyers of the Papuan Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) were able to provide legal counsel to the activists. They questioned the legal foundation of the arrest, considering that the freedom of peaceful assembly is guaranteed in the Indonesian Constitution and protesters did not become violent or were blocking the traffic.
Background
The New York Agreement was signed by the Netherlands and Indonesia on 15 August 1962 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. Papuan representatives were excluded from the meeting. The United States of America, which mediated the negotiations, pressured the Dutch to agree to an Indonesian takeover of the administration in West Papua while the United Nations oversaw negotiations on its future.
Detailed Case Data
Location: Dok V Atas area
Region: Indonesia, Papua Province, Jayapura
Region: Indonesia, Papua, Jayapura
Total number of victims: 5
#
Number of Victims
Name, Details
Gender
Age
Group Affiliation
Violations
1.
1
Jimmy Boroway
male
unknown
Indigenous Peoples, Activist
arbitrary detention, freedom of assembly
2.
1
Regina Wenda
female
unknown
Indigenous Peoples, Activist
arbitrary detention, freedom of assembly
3.
1
Brus Sangkek
male
unknown
Indigenous Peoples, Activist
arbitrary detention, freedom of assembly
4.
1
Roy Haluk
male
unknown
Indigenous Peoples, Activist
arbitrary detention, freedom of assembly
5.
1
Mina Tabuni
female
unknown
Indigenous Peoples, Activist
arbitrary detention, freedom of assembly
Perpetrator: Indonesian Police
Perpetrator details: unknown
Issues: security force violence, indigenous peoples