An important expression of ‘New Tribalism’ is the trend towards modern eco-villages. Ecoregional Democracy and peace movement advocates are also often new tribalists as well, as the groups share common ideals.
Neo-Tribalism is the ideology that human beings have evolved to live in a tribal, as opposed to a modern, society,
and thus cannot achieve genuine happiness until some semblance of tribal lifestyles has been re-created or re-embraced.
Tribal Revival
Tribal Revival Website
http://www.tribalrevival.org/
is a multimedia project created by students in interdisciplinary
independent study projects through the University of Maine and the University of Hawaii.
Much of the research is on traditional tribal culture and “New-Tribalism”, the revival of tribal culture as a natural organic lifestyle.
Basically the podcast section and the ebook section is an ethnography of the new-tribal movement which explores why camping out, painting your face, dancing naked around a fire, and singing Oooga Booga is actually scientifically proven to be good for your brain.
The polymath scientist Carl Sagan came to this conclusion when he wrote that the tribal “hunter/gatherer lifestyles have served mankind well for most of our history, and I think there is unmistakable evidence that we are in a way designed for such a culture.”
It is probably not a coincidence that many of the various elements of tribal culture have all become professional physical and psychological therapies.
These tribal-cultural elements turned modern therapy include such things as Wilderness and Horticulture Therapy,
Talk and Group Therapy, Art, Music, and Dance Therapy.
These various tribal elements that have turned into therapies can be combined to form a single integrated “New-Tribal Culture Therapy” that can be a effective healing method in our increasingly technical lives.
The eBook reviews the New Tribal-Cultural groups and therapists that have already utilized Tribal Therapy such as
local drum circles, the International Rainbow Gatherings, Vision Quest, England’s Tribal Culture, and the Stonehenge Free Festival, etc.
The eBook is also based on author’s experience with a tribal community on the Islands of the Indian Ocean.
The word “tribalism” can refer to two related but distinct concepts. The first is a social system where human society is divided into small, roughly independent subgroups, called tribes. Tribal societies lacked any organizational level beyond that of the local tribe, with each tribe consisting only of a very small, local population.
The internal social structure of a tribe can vary greatly from case to case, but, due to the small size of tribes, it is always a relatively simple structure, with few (if any) significant social distinctions between individuals.
Some tribes are particularly egalitarian, and most tribes have only a vague notion of private property; many have none at all. A shared sense of identity and kinship encourages the development of kin selection.
Tribalism has also been sometimes been called “primitive communism” but this is rather misleading since allegiance to a communist state is not based on kin-selective altruism.
One thing that is certain is that tribalism is the very first social system that human beings ever lived in, and it has lasted much longer than any other kind of society to date.
The other concept to which the word “tribalism” frequently refers is the possession of a strong cultural or ethnic identity that separates oneself as a member of one group from the members of another. This phenomenon is related to the concept of tribal society in that it is a precondition for members of a tribe to possess a strong feeling of identity for a true tribal society to form.
The distinction between these two definitions for tribalism is an important one because, while tribal society no longer strictly exists in the western world, tribalism, by this second definition, is arguably undiminished.
People have postulated that the human brain is hard-wired towards tribalism due to its evolutionary advantages.
(Sourced by Wikipedia)
Just what is democracy? If you were to define it, the definition would inevitably fail because there is too much behind the word. With a word used so often, and in some very prominent contexts, it is worth taking some time to reconsider what the word signifies. Begin by saying it:
“democracy”
— touch the syllables on your tongue and “taste” them, paying attention to your body as your mind connects the word with meaning, for mind and body are both the same person. Notice the your own aesthetic reaction — a gut feeling we all get from such a charged word, not just the sounds or the look of the word itself, but from our compounded associations that give the word shades of meaning by connotation.
Maybe the word inspires a lift of pride that swells the chest. Maybe it produces a certain cynicism, a halted breath reserved for such clichés as apple pie and baseball. Outside of America, especially where democracy has never been in practice, the word probably suggests America, and the physical reaction will follow whatever is reserved for that association. For a very few, the reaction is clinical — the reaction to a technical term of political science like bicameral or disestablishmentarian. Still others might react with nausea, or lightness in the stomach or chest, or a recoiling of the spine from their own associations.
The word democracy — for some it is synonymous with idealism, uttered in the same breath with liberty and justice and other divine incarnations of Principle. For others it is a political justification founded on the force of that idealism. For still others, though, democracy holds uncertain value. Perhaps it is even unimportant to some, although the places where this is the case are quite rare. It is difficult in most places on earth, among most people, to escape the necessity for anyone who would have public legitimacy either to pay homage to it, or to reject it as a threatening incursion. Rarely can democracy be ignored. In some way, it has penetrated thought virtually everywhere.
The word democracy — possibly more than any other one word identified with a complex set of concepts about our multifarious human world, this word is glossed over. Almost all of us assume we know what it means to us, and never give it a second thought to why it means what it means to us, or to what it means to others, or to what it means in practice.
So often the mind is supposed to slide past “democracy” — to fail to consider it well or entirely take it for granted as a known quantity, and ultimately grant a fuzzy, warm legitimacy to those who wave the word about as though it were solidly understood. It is quite impossible in this day and age to escape this rather mindless homage and the leverage thereby applied on a semiconscious level, whether in political speeches or in product advertisements on days around a national holiday.
So, we should know what it is, and what it means to us.
In fact I suggest this is not at all a question with a quick or easy answer, and an ongoing aim of this series will be to explore it. But first of all, it is important to recognize democracy in at least two senses: as a cultural emphasis, and as a political system which has evolved through those cultural trends.
Cultural Democracy
The cultural aspects are exceedingly complex and interwoven, of course. But we can draw out from them a few differentiable threads. One is the principle that any person regardless of their birthright might be important and worthy and might achieve, and should be allowed to do so — a trend which became something of an antidote for the aristocracy by birth which kept down in lower stations even some of the most exceptional people. Thus “democratization” often means nothing more than widespread access to a thing previously hard to access, even just goods or services previously too expensive for most. Coming along with this democracy-as-openness is a new willingness to pay attention to the lives of the “common” man in writing histories and creating art, and all other respects in which, previously, the lowborn would have been excluded out of hand as uninteresting. This too is called “democratization” sometimes. From the standpoint of what has advanced individual life, I will not take issue with democracy in these senses of the word.
But, not unconnected to this, there has emerged a glorification of the truly commonplace as though it were equal to the exceptional. Extending beyond the purer idea of a “democratic” end to artificial barriers, this implies an overthrow or reversal of traditional aristocratic values, deliberate in many cases, vengefully in most of those, whether the vengeance is hot-tempered and violent, or cool and slyly resentful. In the practice of “democratic” politics this has led to economic redistribution by taking from the prosperous and giving some to the “common” poor. This can be seen as a parallel to socialistic and communistic cultural sympathies elsewhere, in social movements and arts of all kinds. As an example: what after all was the great difference between the focus of democratically-inspired artistic glorification of “the common citizen” in the west, and that of the arts of socialist realism pursued in the Soviet Union according to supposedly antithetical ideology — that is to say art for “the average Joe” compared to art approved by Joe Stalin — besides the latter having official endorsement and sponsorship? (This distinction actually dissolved during the Great Depression when Franklin Delano Roosevelt wielded the presidency.) That insistent valuation of the common, average, or mediocre is the same sort of cultural drive prominent behind the democracy of the French Revolution; the slogan did not stop with liberty but demanded equality as well, by guillotine if need be, and by the burning of great art by mobs.
The “cultural” democracy has then been a mixed bag indeed — on one hand, a quest for freedom absolving the world of the worst legacies of an aristocratic or royal heritage, on the other hand a rebellion against the very idea of the exceptional and the great.
Political Democracy
Following these cultural sentiments came the establishment of political institutions, the second meaning for the word “democracy” we must understand. We can only know “political” democracy by understanding cultural “democracy” as being composed of interwoven but different threads with very distinct motivations behind them at the individual level, ranging from a yearning for openness, opportunity, and freedom, all the way to jealousy and spite.
The political system of democracy consists of the essential principle of majority rule, expressed both in the election to determine officials who will hold invested political power, and in voting directly on laws and political resolutions. Although these have been endorsed as a result of all the sorts of cultural democracy discussed above and as a means for fulfilling any or all of them, it is worth noting that throughout the history of democracy those who predominantly sought individual freedom through democracy have most often considered political decision-making by the majority a necessary means for freedom, whereas those who have represented a vilification of the exceptional or an endorsement of the common over the exceptional have reveled in the pursuit of majority power through elections and direct voting. The difference is not to be found in the means found by both, but in the motivations underneath, and in the degree to which political power and government of any kind is trusted. There is quite a difference between democracy as “the worst form of government, except for all of the others” and romanticized visions of democracy as though the process is a worthy or worthwhile one in itself.
If political democracy does not serve as the best means for freedom, it must and should be surpassed, according to the real aims of the great cultural pushes for openness, opportunity, and freedom which produced it. And indeed, now this precisely describes the situation at hand. Democracy in a political sense is not a worthy and substantive ideal which has merely been corrupted behind political machinations. Rather, the practice of democracy masks and retards what is worthy, and the theory is without substance.
The major point made in The Promethean Manifesto about democracy as a political system, and I believe the major point which should be made, is that democracy in practice is largely a justification for political power. It is the latest in a series of smokescreens taking various forms of enshrined mandates, from loyalty to tribal or clan hierarchy, to the pharaoh’s descendance from the gods, to the divine right of kings according to the apostle Paul, to the voting booth today, fronts behind which the more important affairs of politics can be conducted — exertion of control and dominance, maneuvering for factional advantage, power-brokering, exploitation and oppression. We may grant some credit to those who advance each stage for the dissolution of the convention which came before, and nothing less is deserved by the early proponents of democracy for overturning the rigid, stratified classes of aristocracy and monarchy.
But democracy remains one of many species of government, which in the greater scope of possibilities is not so much different from other types as it is the same, however much we are presently conditioned to regard democracy as a really fundamental source of progress. As in all other governmental social systems, which is to say centrally and ultimately forcibly ruled systems, those administering democracy use and justify a conceptual political power which can otherwise be supported only by naked force. That in some form is the basic pattern of government. Specifically, in the case of democracy, the idea of granting choice to the individual is subverted. The appeal of this apparent choice justifies a rule which otherwise would be unacceptable. But as The Promethean Manifesto (2003 edition) put it, “Perversely, in the electoral process a vote “against” a candidate actually amounts to a vote for him if he is elected; by voting, one confirms the process, and implies a pledge to accept the authority of whoever is elected by majority.” Participation in democracy becomes an endorsement of more than a particular government official. Participation also serves to endorse the legitimacy of whatever officials are elected and their actions, and the legitimacy of whatever unelected bureaucrats operate under the nominal control of those elected officials (and in turn their actions), and the legitimacy of government itself.
Despite the similarities, it is worth understanding the differences between democratic systems and others to learn what is unique about democracy as a sociopolitical system, even as we must remain willing to face the potentially harsh conclusion of that lesson: that difference, that democratic uniqueness may not deserve idealization, as in fact I will argue.
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| Awate – Featured Articles | |
| By Ismail Omar-Ali - Sep 19, 2009 | |
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When discussing issues that touch upon region, religion, or tribe I think it is always a good idea to begin the discourse with a self-disclosure. This helps readers to put things in context and understand us better. So let me briefly state who I am and how I generally see the issue: I am a Muslim by birth and persuasion and a Saho highlander by birth, dialect, and lineage. I believe our country needs two crucial components to survive and thrive: democracy to accommodate our diversity and religion to pump it with a healthy dose of morality. Democracy is needed to secure our freedom to speak, to write, to form associations, and to decide our fate among other things. It is also only under a democratic Government that politicians can be held accountable for their deeds/misdeeds. But for democracy to flourish and prosper, it must be complemented by upright and morally sound citizens. Religion (both Christianity and Islam) provides us with an ultimate basis for ethics and values – a feature noticeably absent in other world views including tribally based ones. All major religions teach selflessness, sacrifice and philanthropy. Needless to say, bigotry and fanaticism should be condemned in the strongest way possible taking care not to equate devotion to fanaticism. The former leads to acts of charity and goodwill while the latter leads to hatred and destructive wars. I firmly believe that religion, devoid of these evils can be a positive force in our society. Tribe and region, I perceive them quite differently. Tribe and region to me are identity emblems that we carry around so we may recognize one another and our boundaries – nothing more; nothing less. Unlike religion, tribal folklores do not provide us with a coherent set of moral systems or principles that we can use as a reference point from which to begin a dialog. To the ethno-tribal mind, the clans you belong to, the particular dialect you speak, even the number of markings etched on your face assume far more importance and will earn you more favors or trust than say, your views on what type of Government you envision for the country or what system of economy you espouse. That is why I consider ethno-centricity and tribalized politics one of the most alarming trends to sprout forth out of the resistance movement and I strongly believe that if we insist on riding this ethno-tribal wolf at full gallop, we may one day wake up to find ourselves unable to get away without being devoured by it so to speak. Once out of the bottle and fully aroused, the ethno-tribal genie can easily spin out of control to plunge our nation and our people into horrors not unlike those of Somalia. That is why I wish Ali hadn’t gone as far as he did extolling tribalism or regionalism though I am grateful to him for educating us about the problem. But the issue of land and other equal rights concerns are undoubtedly enduring themes and legitimate topics for discussion. It requires no argument I hope to demonstrate that Land is one of the most prized commodities a people possess. Barren or fertile, hot or cold, high or low, land’s emotive powers are enormous as a place where one’s parents, grand parents and distant ancestors roamed far into the distant past. Take it away and you rob people of their identity, their roots, and their livelihood. Land is also the source of economic and political power among other things. Ali Salim’s spirited campaign on this issue is thus quite understandable and quite natural. He is within his rights to raise the issue of “land grabbers”; within his rights to severely criticize certain highlanders for their silence or indifference; and within his rights to condemn PFDJ and its illegal activities in the lowlands. I also agree with him that the mere chanting of “NETSAN DIMOKRASYAWITN ERTRA” will get us nowhere unless the chant is followed by concrete plans and actionable programs. All this is true and Ali is to be commended not only for doing such a splendid job at presenting and raising the issues for consideration but also for doing it so clearly, rationally, and forcefully. In article after an article Ali minced no words but kept pounding and pounding at the issue so loudly and so persistently that he shook me out of deep and peaceful hibernation (for which I will never forgive him!). Ali Salim was reluctant to frame the issue as a Muslim/Christian concern preferring instead to tackle what he considered to be more “negotiable” items of highland/lowland differences. But eventually (I don’t know if he was aware of it), he ended up doing exactly that by exonerating the Sahos and the Jebertis from “highlanders” or “ethnic Tigrignas” (as Selam alluded). This is hardly unexpected. Circle around it all you will, the issue at its core is hardly reducible to lowland/highland issue alone because the persecution is not limited to lowlanders. Yes, this particular problem is happening in the lowlands but one must dig deeper or ponder and ask: why are the lowlanders being targeted? And who is taking their land? The pattern clearly indicates, in view of what is happening elsewhere to Muslims in Eritrea, that this is an all-out effort to subdue Muslims everywhere. The form and scale may differ but Muslims are being persecuted everywhere. The “land grabbing” phenomenon is merely the latest in a long series of targeted injustices toward Muslims that span three regimes and beyond. As recently as last month, we read that “about 30 religious Eritrean Muslims” were arrested and earlier, it was dozens of Muslims in the Akeleguzay region. Many are languishing in various prisons throughout Eritrea. These are not isolated incidents but part of a systematic persecution of Muslims that still draws inspiration from the apocalyptic visions of Nhnan Elamanan. This being the case, why frame the issue as a lowland/highland issue? Why shouldn’t Muslims speak with one voice against all forms of religious persecution that are specifically directed at them? Notwithstanding Huntington’s Doomsday predictions, Christian/Muslim issues do not have to boil over into “irreconcilable differences” between Civilizations. That may be true if we were to discuss theological doctrines, for example, but where is the irreconcilability in asking or demanding equal treatment, equal access to resources, freedom, and justice? That is why I think it is more fruitful and healthier to frame the issue into a larger block of Christian/Muslim disparity taking into account the historical context and the persistent nature of these inequalities through regime changes. Framed that way, what do we find? We find that Muslims and Christians have shared common struggles, dreams, and aspirations; that they lived side by side for centuries in peace and mutual respect (for the most part); that they fought side by side to rid themselves of occupation; and that even today, they are struggling together to bring about freedom and democracy to Eritrea. As laudable as this legacy of peaceful coexistence had been, however, it was marred by lopsidedness and inequality in which Eritrean Muslims often found themselves disproportionately carrying the largest share of sacrifice, blood, and toil receiving little in return except for more toil and blood. It will be no exaggeration to state that if any group of people has whole heartedly lived by Patrick Henry’s credo of “give me liberty or give me death”, it is certainly Eritrean Muslims. Eritrean Muslims have abandoned everything including their livelihood, their social status, their villages, their wealth, and their very dear lives in the pursuit of freedom and independence. They received little of the former (liberty) and too much of the latter (death). They have died in masses (and continue to die) and those that have survived find themselves excessively disadvantaged in their own country and in the Diaspora compared to their Christian compatriots. Muslims never enjoyed – for as long as they could remember – equal participatory power in the affairs of the nation. In terms of opportunity, access to resources, and political power, Muslims had been (and continue to be) an underprivileged group. Some of these faults, we must own, are not “in our stars’ but “in ourselves”; in our tendency to tribalize and regionalize but for the most part, it was externally imposed. I am speaking here of course from the Muslims’ point of view but all this should not be construed, dear respected compatriots, to imply that the regime’s suppression is limited to Muslims. Nothing could be further from the truth! No doubt, our society as a whole is suffering from dictatorial repression of the devastating kind and Muslims should work (and are working) closely with all peace loving groups inside and outside Eritrea in that general struggle. But Muslims have their own special concerns and needs that must be addressed separately. Why? First, they have been singled out more and suffered more (comparatively speaking) both under Ethiopian occupation and under Isayas’s dictatorship that left them weak, poor, and disadvantaged in many ways. They naturally don’t want this state of affairs to continue or spill over into a post-Isayas Eritrea. Second, they have been the primary victims of anti-Muslim bias and prejudice and its resultant material and spiritual agony. The Christian is unlikely to be harassed, arrested, or even killed for wearing a cross for example but a Muslim with a beard or a woman in Hijab* automatically becomes a target. Prejudices die hard and this phenomenon will not automatically dissipate with PFDJ’s downfall. Third (and most importantly), they still remain disproportionately at a disadvantage economically, politically, educationally, socially, psychologically, and in many other ways. Eritrean Muslims have waited too long, sacrificed too much to be treated like second class citizens in their own country. Eritrean Muslims as a whole were the first to call for total independence from Ethiopia and they were also among the first to identify and oppose the tyrannical regime of Isayas. It is high time therefore that Eritrean Muslims be accorded full recognition for the pioneering and crucial role they played (and continue to play) in pre and post liberated Eritrea and for their long sacrifices. Historical disparity and inequality must end and they must be given equal opportunity to advance themselves as a group. The how’s and methods we will leave for another day but the asymmetrical position of Eritrean Muslims versus Eritrean Christians is a social quandary that requires careful analysis by all Eritreans and viable solutions sought well before we entangle ourselves into the midst of the complexities we shall inherit when we take over the reigns of political power in a post-Isayas Eritrea. The disparity is inexcusable and inexplicable in view of the large population size of Eritrean Muslims and their ubiquitous presence in every tribal and linguistic group in Eritrea. Eritrean Muslims are significant not only in terms of population size but also in terms of the regional, linguistic, and tribal kaleidoscope of cultures they represent. They form an integral part of the cultural tapestry that adorns Eritrean Society in all its diversity. Some regions have a large Muslim majority; others smaller but Muslims are to be found in all regions, among every tribe in Eritrea, and among speakers of every language in Eritrea. Furthermore, the majority of Tigre, Saho, Nara, Afar, Rashaida, Beja, and Blen are Muslims. The Kunamas have a large Muslim minority and among Tigrigna speakers, Muslim Jebertis are to be found in significant numbers. Yet despite these quintessentially genuine Eritrean characteristics they possess, Eritrean Muslims have suffered (and continue to suffer) a great deal of injustice ever since Eritrea’s current borders were carved by Italian colonizers. This, dear beloved compatriots, is the collective lament to be heard by Muslims of every hue throughout the length and breadth of Eritrea – lowlands, highlands, and anything in between. If all these don’t make sense to you, it could simply be because, as the saying goes, the plight of the unfortunate is invisible to the privileged. Two things bothered me, though, after I read Ali Salim’s last article and some of his earlier articles. First is his seemingly nonchalant eagerness to embrace regionalism and tribalism without any qualification whatsoever and second; his pessimism or skepticism towards democracy. . Stripped of its melodramatic exterior and strident tone (which Ali may have deliberately resorted to), what is Ali Salim’s prescription for Eritrea and how can it be summed? The two major points that stand out are the ones I just mentioned (ethno-tribal advocacy and pessimism towards democracy): He wants us to forget about establishing “Democratic utopia” in Eritrea and urges us instead to strengthen Ethno-Regional groups unconditionally. He thinks it laughable that a “bunch of naïve Professors, helpless ex-peasants and taxi drivers” could succeed in bringing about a ‘democratic utopia’ in Eritrea where the mighty US failed?” First of all, I tend to regard our “naïve Professors, helpless ex-peasants and taxi drivers” more favorably than those big time land grabbers with big guns and deep pockets who travers the Atlantic thinking they could manufacture a democracy by force or buy it for another nation. They want democracy in other countries but only if it serves their own national interests – this is readily admitted. Force can destroy, remove a dictator, and install a fake democracy. But democracy cannot be forced nor can it be imposed from above. It has to come from the will of the people to serve the needs of the people. United States failed in implementing democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan not for lack of resources or knowledge but because it lacked a crucial ingredient: legitimacy. It also failed to earn the trust of the local people who could easily see through its ulterior motives. Second, I ask Ali what form of Government other than a democracy he wants to have that can withstand the simultaneous and noisy clamor of competing ethno-tribal groups that he wants to encourage and foster? Consider also that we are now living under a dictatorship – a non-democratic regime. What are the chances of solving the grievances we have both enumerated when we can’t even voice them without risking dire consequences? Freedom of expression can only be sustained in a democracy. Third, Ali had said: “it is imperative that we sign contracts and agreements and build barriers so that no one will violate other people’s God given rights and get away with it. “ If that will work, isn’t enshrining them in a constitution in a more permanent fashion even better? Not Bereket’s version necessarily but a more representative and fresh version. If Sudan failed in implementing its constitution, does it automatically follow that we will fail also? Laws, constitutions, rules, and regulations are powerless by themselves. It is the collective will of the people to follow them that quickens them to life. The fragile nature of democracy and the freedom and opportunity it accords to everyone in its domain renders it vulnerable to abuse. But what system is proof against abuse? If constitutions, laws, and democracy cannot bind us, nothing will (including Ali’s idea of contract signing). If we give up on democracy, we give up on ourselves; in our ability to liberate ourselves and our people. Fourth, Ali Salim said democracy is “a protracted process that took centuries”. This is true but it is truer for the pioneers who didn’t have democratic models to follow and had to resort entirely to trial and error. Fortunately for us, there are now many fully functional democracies we can study and learn from. Moreover, in contrast to old democracies, emerging democracies have the added advantage of operating under a new paradigm where democracy has become increasingly popular around the world. This gives new democracies an added boost and increases their chances of success. But even if we assume implementation of democracy will take a very long time, what do we have to lose for trying? Considering that we are starting at the bottom, each small step towards democracy will in itself be a learning and rewarding experience. In other words, the journey itself will bear fruit along the way. Just think how relieved we will all be even with such a tiny democratic baby step like freedom of movement or freedom of expression not to speak of the intense reprieve and happiness families will feel when they finally reclaim their sons and daughters from forced labor. We are not dreaming about a “democratic utopia (as Ali put it). Democracy is not a panacea but until we come up with a better system, it will have to do. If you can think of a better alternative, please let me know and I will listen. Fifth, Ali’s call for encouraging tribal and ethnic formations stems from his belief that tribes so empowered will have more faith in the system and will cooperate with the general welfare of the nation. But how convincing is his postulation when viewed against inter/intra-tribal and ethnic wars and other horrors we have witnessed in the last century alone? From Africa to Asia to Europe, ethnically based conflicts account for the loss of millions of lives. How are we to believe that the highly charged atmosphere of several interest based groups simultaneously vying or demanding attention will bring about a more prosperous and stable nation? The great historian, Arnold Toynbee once observed that the entire history of mankind can be summed up in a simple formula: challenge and response. The opposition (Ok, Saleh resistance) faces a challenge and the response it gives will largely shape the future of Eritrea. But focus on region, tribe, and ethnicity cannot be good for us particularly in the current stage of the struggle. Please do not take us there. Eid Mubarak to all! …back to hibernation…please do not disturb… |
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| By Farhan Ali Ahmed farxaan26@yahoo.co.u |
 Democracy has had various meanings of interpretation, but according to philosophy Larry Hauser it is a form of government in which the people rule, either by directly voting on issues (direct democracy), or indirectly through electing representatives to decide issues (representative democracy). One of the important basics of democracy is mutual confidence among political players competing to construct a better future for their nation.Thus, one model of representative democracy is the one that Somalis are trying to base on the expected all inclusive transitional federal government from Kenya, Mbagathi peace conference. It is unfortunately a tribal model where all clans elect individual MPs that represent tribal interests rather than a country’s national interest. Then, tribal MPs elect the country’s president and the president appoints his prime minister to form a government. This is a tribal democracy based on clan constituency rather than a regional, area or district where each person in a constituency votes for one person to become their MP and the candidate with the most votes becomes the MP. This would be just a trial model of forming a government, where many Somalis believe that the Somali tribal democracy is far from perfect or all-wise but it is, indeed, the worst model to form a government. Strangely enough, it may not fulfill or meet the expectations of its people, because of its weak cabinet, poor MPs, incapability of making needed decisions and unresponsiveness to the high demands of its people. It is a unique political system the way in which our country’s government will work. The cabinet’s work will be ineffective as long as he holds the office for his clan and defends clan interest rather then national interest. Representing a particular clan will be the first obstacle that the new transitional federal government will confront while dealing the sensitive issues (i.e. security or disarmament issue) in the country and our political system does not make accountable for malfunctioning institutions, as long as its cabinet positions being based on 4.5 (i.e. 4.5 means four major tribes and alliance of minority clans are divided government positions and ministers and MPs and are accountable to their clan). For instance, Abdiqasim’s government is a good example, where the TNG attempted to introduce security measures on the capital Mogadishu, one of the cabinet members could not support because his clan would feel unhappy. It is also, the opposite of what our founding fathers had deeply valued and required – the individual and the power of his vote, rather than what is called tribal MP voters. (e.g. Adan Abdulle Osman’s speech July 1962 “ if we Africans are proud to take our place as a democratic people in the comity of nations, we must do more than pay lip-service to the feelings of the ordinary man and woman in our society”. etc) The founding fathers believed and valued the privilege of representative government where MPs are selected for their quality. They anticipated Somalis will flesh out the ideas and principles that they have in envisioned and this dream would shape the future government to our nation but their dream is yet to come real. On the other hands, tribal MP selections are not based on a meritocracy process where the MP is selected for his ability, experience and knowledge in order to choose a good MP who has the necessary qualities to represent his country but rather he is an X clan; and without exceptions, for the mentally ill and criminals. Therefore, tribal MPs will be weak, and misunderstand their role of passing new laws, some may see as unfair and corrupt. For example, many tribal MP voters will be frightened or bribed into voting for a certain candidate or issue. Moreover, no doubt that any new transitional federal government being formed by the elected president will have to maintain order in the country by establishing “Rule of Law” in order to preserve life and protect property. To maintain order the new government needs to possess unquestioned authority in order to grantee the safety of the weak, and to protect them from the attacks of the strong. To pay these operational activities of bringing peace and security into Somalia, the new transitional federal government needs to collect a tax and get international assistance. Thus, I wonder how weak cabinet and poor MPs based on tribal system could collect revenue for the expenditure of their operational activities and quickly respond the needs of their nation and at the same time take appropriate action towards sensitive issues. While the only group from the international community who is offering assistance is the African Union who is pretending to send peace keepers into Somalia and their object is only another biding for further funds for the African Union, so I remain deeply doubtful, of how the new government would achieve its goals! However, there is proverb says “two birds in your hands are worth many in the bush” In August 2004, Somalis managed to elect new members of the Somali Transitional Federal Assembly and are ready to take over from their predecessors the burden of public service (i.e. Arta TNG). Thus, the new TFG MPs will receive a mandate of trust from the clan appointees and the whole of nation. This mandate is not only an obligation passed through to their tribes but also to the whole nation and it is vital to remind them that the future of Somalia is in the hands of the tribal MPs. Warlords will be given the opportunity to exercise their faithful citizenship as they enter the new Transitional Federal Assembly. They will be faced with a challenge of making choices that will improve the lives of many million Somalis who suffered at their hands or they will choose what they believed for more than a decade which was violence. We know what violence leads to and it is a vicious circle of violence. The violence of the past results in violence of the present, and the violence of the present results in violence in the future. If warlords do not consciously and intentionally decide to break this cycle, of future violence then it will continue to go on and bring more misery. So they need not neglect their duties and place an unprincipled man, or in other words, a warlord in the highest office in the country; the violence will multiply and the new TFG will soon be corrupted; laws will be made not for the public good so much as for the selfish or tribal purposes. Therefore it is their responsibility to elect a good leader for their country. They must remember at the moment that they are offering their vote, that they are not there to please one of the candidates whatever the reasons, but they have to remember that they carry responsibilities beyond this interim period and generations to come. When it comes to vote, all it takes is a little cross on the ballot paper. But that mark could well change their life and the whole country in the next few years. Elections are about more than just picking a candidate. Overall, it is important to recognise that we need time to understand and absorb how democracy is used in other parts of the world and how we, as Somalis, need to adopt a system that can truly reflect our needs and background. It is obvious that the tribal model of democracy is not what our founding fathers expected in the 21st century Somalia. But it is what Somalis have in their hands now. It should be a transitional model where people use as a conflict resolution and be used as an instrument that powers are shared and transferred peacefully now; because it is not a genuine model as long as elections, votes, policies are managed and influenced by the clan. While Somalis instability and conflict caused by application of tribal politics into the government and all government position based on the clan and tribal criteria. This is what makes many Somalis to see this tribal model as a factor of conflict rather than a solution. Thus, there are several Somali presidential candidates who remain firmly favourable to succeed in the next five years when all tribal MPs are completely selected in the new Transitional Federal Assembly. But there are criminals among them and there is a concern about this whether an awkward voting manoeuvre may occur and intentionally elect the “wrong” candidate rather voting for the “right” candidate. This will be a good example whether tribal MPs choose the road to peace, or road to further violence. If they choose a right candidate the destination of their country is relatively certain. On the other hand, instituting “Rule of Law” in Somalia is necessary in order to preserve life and protect property, but the new transitional federal government needs not to institutionalise the clan politics and government machine being selected meritocracy process in order to serve national interests. If it does so, the new TFG will maintain order in the country. |
(A) INTRODUCTION
This “Draft of West Papua Government System” presents an overview and background reasons of what I would like to call “Tribal Democracy” and “Western Democracy” and how they differ from one to another.
It finally ends with the advantages and problems we are will face if we choose either western or tribal democracy.
The purpose of this is to avoid any political manipulation and collusion that comes from super power nations in this world.
(B) BACKGROUND
1. We need to be aware that the “Indonesian government” will finally and definitely go away from West Papua. However, we, the people of West Papua will face another “government” called “West Papua government” which will continue the mission and task to rape, torture, intimidate, exploit the human and natural resources, take people away from their homes and families, kill, imprison and many other ways. All of these will become worse when West Papua politicians govern and kill their own people. It will be more inhuman than now to see the celebration for independence turned into suffering because West Papuan government will kill their own people who have fought for the freedom together in unity. It is unbelievable, but definitely, it is going to happen.
2. We cannot be so optimistic with our own government because our neighbouring country, Papua New Guinea has openly spoken to us all that tension and torture does exist in self-governing nations. Some mountains will rapidly turn into valleys. Some green trees where flora, fauna and tribal people live will be asphalt and cities will be built with concrete walls. Some un-contacted tribes will be quickly reached. In short, “All that are alive will die, and the death will happen because they are killed.” Who will kill them? No one else, nothing else. They are there with you. They are the corporations, aid agencies, religious organisations, and such that directly become the agents from the super power nations that up till now see West Papua as a fertile region for exploitation.
3. If we look at the world atlas, West Papua is one of at least three regions in the world whose resources are not yet subdued/ exploited/managed by the powerful nations “in the west” There is a concept in this world: “All humans must become the same as those in the west, and the western patters of society, culture, government and such should be applied into any society in the world. They believe that “democracy” is the best and the only way of government in the world. They are trying to make the world to become::
One in its government systems, even only one system will become the system for all governments;
One in language, English;
One in religion; most possibly Christianity or those friendly to Christianity;
One race;
One thought and feeling. The though is like this: Development is nice, chopping down trees is necessary, killing other humans is a must for security purpose, etc.
4. For these, they will do all they can in all ways. They will talk any actions, even by bloodshed as we have seen in East Timor and Balkans. All these are not tragedies or incidents. All are very well planned and executed. In West Papua, they are already with us now. They are sleeping and eating with us. They are actively participating in various meetings among West Papua people. They will say, “Let me have your neck, I am thirsty of blood and hungry for flesh after such a long time since East Timor feast!”
5. Their aims are these:
* Mining in Tembagapura should continue without any hindrance, because when it is stopped, western economy will be in trouble;
* Logging activities will not end because the modern nations have not got any trees left in their countries for their furniture, paper, carpentry and others.
* Road construction, Mamberamo Dam construction should be resumed because world organisations must take away resources available in West Papua and the best way is by investing into the region, without leaving any single waste at all.
6. We need to be aware that the problems in West Papua are not only originated from Jakarta, but they are from far away countries. They are relaxing, eating and sleeping in a relaxed situation. Meanwhile, Indonesian army is paid to kill West Papua people for the sake of supplying the needs of those far away countries. Here is how Jakarta is foolish. Jakarta is not clever or sensitive anymore to its problems. It is already the puppet of the western powers since New Order government came into power. Until now, it is obvious that foreign governments are intervening into internal affairs of Jakarta. What is being done by those intellectuals educated in foreign nations? They are all under the control of “Mind Control Policy” far away. They are being controlled by remote control from far away. Just like you can control revision channels from distance, the mind-control is happening in the same way. Is this a dream? It is a reality my brothers and sisters.
7. That is why we should be clever in judging the situation in West Papua people and in trying to help ourselves to get out from the problems. We should not continue supplying the demands, in which way we will be continuously killing our own people. We must stand for our own selves and problems. We should avoid committing suicide in our political decisions in these days. We must reach our goal “Save the people of West Papua and all the resources in the island from any colonialism” and not on the contrary.
(C). A ROUGH DRAFT “GOVERNMENT SYSTEM THAT WILL STAND FOR THE PEOPLE IN WEST PAPUA “
1. The concepts of “nation” and “government” are close friends to murder, torture, rape, disappearance, exploitation, and environmental destruction, the home of tribal people. We have seen these since the Dutch was colonising us, after German came some hundreds years ago. What is happening now is the development activities based on outsiders’ principles and theories. These means exploitation will continue, rape will not stop, disappearance will become unavoidable. Intimidation will be a must. Imprisonment of Melanesian people in their own land will not end. All things will go on. Their banner will say “Business as usual!”
2. In relation to no. 1 above, I would like to express my view that we need to know from now on in forming a modern style way organising people called “government.” We need to be aware that we do not need to COPY the governmental systems that work in outside Melanesian community. We have learnt from PNG and other Pacific nations as our Melanesian brothers and sisters that some of the principles copied from outside Melanesia and tribal contexts do not work at all. Even they create tribal wars among us. Therefore, creating a new nation (West Papua) by refusing another nation (Indonesia) is an unwise action because both still have the same principles and philosophies. When both governments have the same ways of governing the people, then should we say that we will not kill our own people anymore? It us highly unlikely. Most probably, the processes of exploitation, tribal war, road construction, dam construction and other problems will be accelerated. These will not solve fundamental problems that we have now. In particular, more violations of human rights will be committed by West Papua government. More destruction of the environment will happen.
3. Some are suggesting that all Indonesia provinces become federations of Indonesia with full autonomy to each federation. The purpose is to build a “democratic government” in Indonesia. If we choose this, then it is impossible to create a “democratic government” per se. Jakarta itself is already a corrupt government. Its people are under full control of some people outside Jakarta. They have been in harmony for a long period of time, since the New Order government came into power. “Definitely, the harmony could not be let go easily!” They are already too close to each other. To take our gold, silver, trees, gas, copper and others in West Papua, Jakarta has been made unconscious of what it has been doing biased and will be so for ever. Megawati herself is obvious to us. They are already in the “mud” of super-power nations. A year later, their sense of humanity will totally disappear. It is typical, once someone gets power, the control of feeling as human beings disappears. They will forget what they had been saying for more than 30 years to their people on their political platforms. This is not only for Megawati, it is the way this world is controlled. “It does not matter if you fulfil you promises or not, the important thing is winning the votes NOW!” Therefore, do not get confused if Megawati and Gus Dur allow or even support the killings of people in West Papua and further exploitation all we have in West Papua. A clear example is the Mamberamo Dam Project, which is “ON” now.
4. There is a significant tension between “Western Style” of government being exposed to use now and “Native Style” which existed in our life since centuries ago in Papua. Actually Jakarta has this “native style of government”, but it has been destroyed by themselves. They may feel sorry about it, maybe not, that is their business. From these mistakes, we should be able to establish our own system that can work for ourselves. We need to anticipate further problems in our government. If we do not, we are more foolish than those in Jakarta are, because we will repeat their mistakes even though we know which ones are the problems.
5. To balance the tensions between “western style government” called “democracy” and our way of governing ourselves, we need to think about combining the two (democracy and tribal way) become a “Tribal Democracy” government. It is neither federal system nor guided democracy as being considered in Jakarta and in the liberal world generally. The “Tribal Democracy” has the following characteristics.
C. THE CONCEPT OF TRIBAL DEMOCRACY GOVERNMENT
1. The Form of Government: Tribal Democracy
2. The Place of Each Tribe in the Tribal Democracy System. Each tribe, either big or small tribes, primitive or modern tribes, developed and undeveloped tribes, educated or illiterate, all will have THE SAME AND EQUAL STATUS in the Tribal Council within each tribe. The Tribal Councils will govern their tribes without any single disturbance or intervention form other tribes around or far away from them. For example, if Bade tribe in Mamberamo do not speak English, Lani people should not go there and stand as prophets and priests for them and expose Lani values on them. There is no need for Lani people to bring in aids, Bible, education, or whatever into the Bade people. It is none of other tribes’ business. Of course, Bade Tribal leaders will be invited and will have an equal position in the government but the tribe itself will make its decisions for whatever they need and they want. All depend on them. There should be no single tribe or nation or organisation from outside Bade to become their priest or prophets or apostles. They will develop or change in their own time and pace. One thing for sure is that they will definitely grow and develop according to how their needs, wills, wishes and wants.
3. Management in Each Tribe: Each tribe will organise in their own community and villages. There is no need for other tribes that are regarded as educated, elite politicians, and such to expose their expertise or knowledge or degrees and regard their fellow tribes lower or less educated or less civilised. All tribes should treat others as the same and equal. In other words, West Papua as a tribe/community, we do not need to create elite politicians or new order of politics in our society. The danger is that the new order or new elite groups will become the good targets for exploiters, head-hunters, oppressors who do not have human values or moral values in their businesses, who only work for profits. They have no moral or cultural responsibilities to West Papua and its people. What they want are the resources to be taken away from us. That is why the way of managing each tribe should be under the control of each tribe. By this way, we will be strong against any wills and plans to exploit us.
4. Economy: Economically, a tribe is 100% (fully) responsible for the management of all resources in, on and under the land they inhibit. We do not need to create a system where only a small number of people plan the development and dray maps for logging, mining and killing activities; and then come to the people and give instructions to move out, to comply, to obey and such. If a tribe wants to turn a mount into valley as it has been happening in Timika, it is the right of people in Timika, it should be the decision of the five tribes in the region. If lakes should be filled up to make settlement areas, it should become the decision of tribes who own the area. If dams should be established from some rivers (like Mamberamo Dam case), that depends on tribes related to the land. Of course, other tribes can give suggestions and opinions, but the decision is on the hands of the tribes related to the land.
5. Administration of the Government: The administration of the government will be centralised in an office. It can be called the Central Administration Office (CAO/KPA). Geographically, it is logic if the CAO/KPA is based in the central highlands. (CAO/KPA) will organise administration activities and tasks as well as documentation. The CAO/KPA is the place where all educated people from West Papua be based. They are not to make decisions, but they are to listen to and give advice or suggestions to their tribal leaders, to formulate and reformulate the opinions of Tribal Councils so that they can be presented to the international community. The staff of CAO/KPA will be chosen by each tribe (tribal council) to represent each tribe in the CAO/KPA. Each decision will be made at tribal council level and then submitted to the CAO/KPA for further administrative handling.
6. The CAO/KPA Leadership: The CAO/KPA will be chaired by one Head Office, with General Secretary, General Treasurer and other experts and specialists in various sectors. Office administration tasks are under the head of the CAO/KPA. The head office will be changed after certain period of time in turn and each tribe should have a chance to be the head of the CAO/KPA. The head of the COA/KPA will chair the administrative tasks and the head will be in turn replaced by each tribe after certain period of time. In this case, we do not need President, Prime Minister, MPs and such. We are tribal people and we live in tribal ways. We have our own Tribal Leaders. If the world demands us to have a government, then it is called Tribal Government. If they want a “democratic” government, that it is called “Tribal Democracy”.
7. Tribes and Tribal Leaders: West Papua has 245 tribes. That means it is logic and acceptable to say hat West Papua government will have 245 Tribal Leaders as the heads of the tribes. At least 2 persons from each tribe will represent each tribe (2 X 245) to run the office in the CAO/KPA. In addition, the academics, experts, specialists will have special status in the system, but they will not have power to make decisions.
Some deputies, such as War Chief, Food Chief, Chief of Farm will assist tribal leaders, etc. as we inherit in generations. All deputies are responsible to the people, not to the Tribal Leaders.
However, for the coastal areas, the “kingdom” system will be applied because that is the way the organised the community.
There is no absolute democracy “from heaven” on this earth. There is no democracy with the truth like the Bible as the standard for government. All systems of government in this earth are imperfect and some principles only appropriate for certain groups of community on this planet. In other words, for instance, not all principles that work in the states should work in West Papua and visa versa. The principles applied in each society should be adapted to the existing systems.
That means the western democratic principles and organisation systems should not become the absolute ways of governing West Papua people who already have our own ways. This is similar to the issue of Christianity. There has been a view that “There is only one way to heaven!” Similarly, there is a belief that “There is only one way of government system that is good for all humans and culture, that is democracy.” We need to think about these concepts as results of wishful thinking.
International relationship: West Papua people need to have our representatives in foreign countries and organisations like the UN. That is why we need to think about how we will be represented in the international forum. I propose that each tribe will have their own representative abroad, channelled through the CAO/KPA by each tribe concerned with the foreign nations. For example, if Mee Tribe has a contract with Freeport MacMoRan Inc in New Orleans, the USA, then a Mee tribesman/woman should represent West Papua in the states. If some tribes are related to the mining, then they tribes concerned will talk about it and then they can decide in their final meeting to nominate and appoint people to represent their tribes. This representative will carry out ambassadorial tasks. The CAO/KPA will handle the administrative tasks of the offices abroad.
8. The Equality in Managing Natural Resources: If some geographically some tribes have more natural resources than others, then it is the basic rights of those who live in the are to decide what proportion they would like to share with the rest of the tribes. For example, if there are five tribes in Timika, then five tribes should discuss the shares for them. Here are some mechanisms of co-operation:
Principally, we, the tribal people are not selfish people; we are not individual beings like in the modern society. We put society first, and then individuals later. Naturally, tribal people will treat each other better than modern society. The most important characteristic of tribal community is “We share what we have!”
The tribes who have the land will have some meetings to arrange the shares in each tribe. Then they will meet in general meeting for final decisions.
Final decisions will be submitted to the CAO/KPA and will be processed and presented to investors.
In the minutes of decisions, the proportions of shares should be stated clearly and understood by each tribe.
9. Relationship with Foreign Investors: If no 8 is the principle of operations, all businesses of contracts, investments, development plans etc that are related to private and public organisations in and outside West Papua, should be thoroughly discussed inside each tribe. Then each tribe will have separate contracts or agreements with the investors. Also tribes affected by the investment have the right to veto any agreements made. All tribes have veto on the investment processes. For example, if Mamberamo Dam is to be built, in Mamberamo and the roads should be built through other tribes in Arso and Genyem areas, then it is not only the rights of Tribes in Mamberamo to make the decisions. The tribes whose lands will be affected by the Dam will also have the right to approve or disapprove the plan.
10. Law and Order: Traditional law is the prime law for each tribe. As it is happening now, each tribe has its own norms and traditions. We are all Melanesians, therefore, the norms and traditions are similar (with a few differences) The important thing is that each tribe has its own laws and each tribal people understands what they mean to them. There is no need to impose any laws from anywhere in the world. Most of the modern laws are in fact used to justify certain elite groups and capitalists to further exploit the world and to justify and defend for their brutal actions. These should not be allowed in West Papua.
11. The Armed Force: Tribal people do not have a separate armed force. The separation of legislative, jurisdiction, executive and security forces is a modern concept. They are good and very effective for modern society. It does not mean that they are also effective and work very well for Melanesians in West Papua. Tribal community knows that all males are members of the armed force, without exception. There need certain regulations inside each tribe when women want to become members of the armed force. This needs to be consulted to the husbands or parents of the females. All members of the tribe are the members of the armed force. The people only can apply to the War Chief if they do not want to be listed as members of the armed force for the tribe. In this case, they need to show their preferences of roles to play within the community if the tribe is in war.
D. SOME ADVANTAGES AND PROBLEMS IN TRIBAL DEMOCRACY
1. Advantages
These are some of the advantages of “Tribal Democracy” government:
The centralised and oppressive policy making where all plans for exploitations (logging
concessions, mining contracts and such) will disappear significantly;
The feeling of being oppressed, manipulated or cheated by one tribe to the other or one group to the other will not exist in this kind of democracy;
One or some tribes will have chances to become elite politicians and then become oppressors of their own people in West Papua;
Tribal conflicts and wars will be minimised. This is the main concern of the modern community. They think, “Tribal people will have tribal wars if they have their own governments!” They point out what is happening in PNG and some African nations. They do not know the real problem underneath all the conflicts in tribal community. “It is not because we live in Tribal community!” The reason is because the modern countries expose their principles and systems of government to the tribal communities. They expose “Western democracy” and this is the problem. This is the same as asking Moslems to eat pork. And when they refuse it, we brand them as “primitive.” If western democracy does not work well in tribal communities, then it is not because tribal life is wrong. It is because we are forcing the western democracy that works well in the UK and the states to the tribal people. It is, of course, perfect for the modern society, but is it also so for us tribal people?
We will live in harmonious relationship with fellow tribal people, inside each tribe and also with the international community as human beings and with all other beings on this planet.
This pattern represents our real life as tribal people. This kind of idea is rarely discussed by us, tribal people because we are manipulated by other powers beyond our consciousness. This is the most appropriate pattern of government for tribal people world wide.
2. Some problems in this system
We have already being “brain-washed” by the capitalists in the modern world with a view that independent means having a President, Prime Minister, Ministers, Governors, Ambassadors, etc. Therefore, even tribal people will see this idea as “a weird concept.” Actually this capitalist system is a danger and disaster for the whole world of humanity and nature.
We already have plans to establish cabinets by copying modern types of governments; therefore, even tribal leaders may view this proposal as unrealistic. If this happens, they are the ones who will regret sometime later.
Modern capitalist world will find this idea as a threat to them. They will do whatever they can do, either by destroying the idea, manipulating the view or even by obliterating the people who support such an idea. This is definitely going to happen. They have done so all over the world. This is not a secret anymore. The capitalists will approach, promote and help West Papua people who can finally give opportunities for them to further exploit and destroy all the resources in the land of West Papua.
They will use any means they have, even by selling and supplying guns, jet fighters, giving training to intelligence and many others.
The modern community will create and provoke tribal wars within West Papua people. They will finally say, Tribal Democracy is inappropriate!” They will say, “Let us establish a democratic government!” which means a democracy that allows capitalists to exploit and kill the people.
E. RECOMMENDATION FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION
1. Each tribe in West Papua should claim their leadership roles from the hands of politicians and other leaders being exposed to us from outside our community.
2. Each tribal leader in West Papua should act as the elders for all of us, youths, intellectuals and politicians from different groups to give directions and guidance towards the life that agrees with the tradition and culture of people in West Papua.
3. Tribal leaders should conduct regular meetings and have open communications so that political gangsters from inside or outside West Papua community cannot provoke and manipulate the politics in West Papua.
4. Intellectuals and elite politicians from West Papua should realise that we are basically the Melanesians from West Papua and that we are tribal people. We are tribal community in this modern world. We are modern people in our tribes. We need not to be biased by various theories, knowledge, philosophies, patterns and systems as well as expertise from outside our tribes, which look good but basically nothing inside them.
5. Let us continue the National Dialogue Phase II under the co-ordination of FORERI (West Papua political organisation) and PGI (Indonesian Council of Churches). This dialogue will give more chances to Tribal Leaders to say what they want to say for their people and to avoid further manipulation from Jakarta.
These are all my personal views. I believe tribal people of West Papua will agree with me. If not, those who disagree will be “modernised Melanesians” which will not suit into the existing systems of tribalism.
Author: Sem Karoba
Email: WP@…
Centre for International Education and Management
United Kingdom
Tribal Democracy is the term originally presented by the one of the Greatpersons our human history, Grandfather Nelson Mandela. Well, not exactly Tribal Democracy, but theoretist call it “Tribal Model of Democracy.” I found this when I was searching the Internet ten years back.
When people read this name: “Tribal Democracy”, then they will easily relate this name to “Tribe”, “Tribal”, “Primitive”, “Sectarian”, “Barbaric”, and that means ‘un-democratic.’
Well, it does make sense for me, because the word “tribe” and further “tribal” has always been negated. When people see this word, of course, they will suddenly find themselves, or without realising it, will think, “Hmm, something tribal? Something from the old ages?” It does make sense for me, because this modern culture has told us not to accept, even hate what was before, what we inheritted from our past generations.
What I actually mean, or what comes up in my own mind as soon as I think of this concept is:
- Something that is “prime”, “pure”, “fresh”, “golden”, so exactly the opposite of those above perception I mentioned.
- Banks of gold, diamond, and even more than these, that we have denied, refused to accept, and hated, but something that will embrace us and will take care of us, and will continuously sustain and nurture us, sorry, not only us human beings, but ALL Communities of Beings, and not only us, but also will make our Planet Earth stay inhabittable in a longer time that modern culture will bring us to.
I am sorry, let me just theoretically define what Tribal Democracy is. Tribal Democracy can mean one, or some, or all of the following:
- Democracy for All Communities of Beings;
- Democracy that is Based Upon Tribal System, Ways of Life and Wisdom;
- A System of Governance that embraces or enbridge Tribal Values into Modern Cultures;
If you ask me to relate modern definition of democracy to what I mean here, then I would say that a system of governance is called “democracy” when the business of governing is done by a free and fair ellection, chosen by majority of votes, with respect to human rights, and that promote clean governance, etc.. I see, this is a good definition to start with: “Democracy is a form of government in which state-power is held by the majority of citizens within a country or a state.” [cheack here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy] There is an element of ‘majority rule’, ‘election by the people’, and ’supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them’. I want to copy and paste more definitions, however, I would rather say that the modern definition of democracy are all “anthrophocentric”. Any kinds or definitions of democracy that claim to care about the nature, not only humans, most notable, Democracy from the Green Movement is unfortunately “anthrophocentric” as well. Human beings are at the centre of the governance.
Well, that is not what I mean by “Tribal Democracy” by the way:
- Tribal Democracy is “democracy from all communities of Beings, by all communities of Beings, and for All Communities of Beings with their Planet Earth;
- In other words, it is a “democracy” that is run not only by Human Beings, but by all Communites of Beings.
- It is a form of government in which state-power is held not by majority of human citizens only, but of all Communities of Beings.
Above all, I would say that Tribal Democracy is A System of Governance that promotes a Society of communities of Beings to life in peace and harmony.
In a more spiritual language, one can say that this model of democracy is:
- Democracy as it was in the Garden of Eden, Paradise, Nirvana as it is written in Holy Scriptures of modern religions;
- Democracy that will bring us all to a life that is peaceful and harmonious among all Communities of Beings.
I know, I am not more than a tribesperson, a stone-aged person, part of the world whom you normally refer to as “cannibal tribes”, even though I have never seen any Papuan eating other humans, other than what I have seen modern peoples eating other humans, in front of my eyes, virtually every second, every minute, every day, every week, every month, every year, so far. I do not wnat to get into trouble by discussing this topic, it is not that important.
I just want to say FRANKLY, HONESTLY, HUMBLY, OPENLY, whatever -lies that would affirm that what I am saying is not just a dream, but based on realities that I have experienced in this ‘life’ that I have now, which I believe can be implemented by any civilisation who would like to live in this planet Earth, who would like to make this Planet Inhabittable, not only for our generation, but more importantly for generations to come.
I am sorry that I must end this first note now. I will go deeper in later postings.
What I am expecting from my readers, from human beings who happen to read this post is that:
- You provide me assistance to edit my poor English, in my blogs and in my books;
- Sponsor me in exploring this proposal into a more academic work, either as a Thesis or whatever it is that will make it possible for this concept for a system of governance so that modern scholars, politicians and democratic campaigners understand and share what I am actually talking about, what how this can be applicable, when and how.
See you soon.
Sem Karoba
Irish-Honorary Papuan Tribesperson
semkaroba@yahoo.co.uk
Abridged translation by TAPOL
Cenderawasih Pos, 4 June 2009
Claims made by the secretary-general of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), Demus Wenda, that the KNPB was responsible for acts of violence during the period from January to May 2009 have been strongly denied Buchtar Tabuni, the chairman of the KNPB.
The actions referred to include the attack on the Abepura police station just prior to the April election, the occupation of the Kapeso airstrip, the fire at the Cenderawasih University Rector’s office and attacks on a group of peasants in Tanah Hitam a few days ago.
Buchtar told journalists that the statement made by Demus Wenda has nothing to do with the organisation and was issued without his knowledge. Buchtar also said he does not know anyone called Demus Wenda.
Buchtar made this statement to journalists in the company of his lawyer defending him in court. [Buchtar is facing charges of subversion for organising a demonstration on 16 October last, to welcome the establishment of International Parliamentarians for West Papua, in London.] He said that the KNPB was set up to organise protests against government policies which fail to benefit the common people.
He said that KNPB is not connected in any way with other organisations such as the OPM. If the OPM is involved in these actions, then they must take responsibility. His organisation wants to support the struggle of ordinary people who are dissatisfied with government policies.
Although Buchtar is currently in custody and unable to follow closely developments outside, he reckons that there are other forces behind statement made by Demus Wenda. Whether it is the OPM or someone else, he does not know.
The programme of the KNPB is to use democratic means and to avoid acts of violence.
Buchtar’s lawyer, Iwan Niode, explained that the KNPB was set up by students in 2008, particularly those forced to leave (meaning here unclear). The latest developments seem to be aimed at implicating the organisation, leading eventually to its being banned and to the arrest of its activists. People playing this game are giving legitimacy to possible actions by the police to disband the organisation. He said also that he feared the developments would be harmful to his client who is now on trial, with the verdict fast approaching. ‘The verdict of the court could well be influenced by these events,’ he said.
He said that the proceedings in court should be allowed to reach their conclusion.
Markus Haluk, sec-general of the Central Highlands Students Association, who has been closely following the trial, expressed the same opinion.
‘Demus Wenda claims to have the mandate of the TPN/OPM. When did he get that mandate and who issued it? We are being implicated and in the end we will all be arrested,’ he said. He thought that there was another agenda at work, prior to the election – trying to have an impact on public opinion. ‘If people wanted to undermine the election, they should have taken the matter to the Electoral Commission in Jakarta.
He called on people not to be provoked by all this.
Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
PO Box 28, Spit Junction, NSW 2088
Email:bunyip@bigpond.net.au West Papua update. May 2009
Summary of May events
Airstrip occupied
An airstrip was occupied by the OPM in the village of Kasepo, Mambramo Raya, some 300 kilometers from Jayapura on the 18 May. According to the Jakarta Globe (20 May), The OPM had taken over the landing strip and erected a tent and raised the Morning Star Flag. The police responded by sending personnel from Detachment 88, the anti-terror squad to the area. As of the 2 June the airstrip was still being occupied by up to 150 local residents. Although the police claim they have the airfield surrounded they said they are trying to persuade the residents to leave voluntarily. The occupation of the airstrip is under the leadership of Decky Imbiri. Amnesty International’s State of the world’s human rights report (2009)
Amnesty International’s State of the world’s human rights report (2009), has reported that the situations in Papua and Maluku have continued to deteriorate. In Amnesty’s country report on Indonesia it stated that there continued to be attacks on freedom of expression, that the number of prisoners of conscience rose sharply to 117 and attacks against minority religious groups and their leaders increased across the archipelago. Amnesty also reported that “torture, excessive use of force and unlawful killings by police and security forces continued” and “no progress was made in bringing the perpetrators of past gross human rights violations in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD), Papua and Timor-Leste to justice”.
From the report on Papua
“Low-level conflict between the security forces and pro-independence insurgents in Papua continued. Local community leaders were intimidated and threatened by the military and police. There were reports of torture and other ill-treatment, excessive use of force and extrajudicial executions by security forces. In August, at a rally celebrating World Indigenous Day, police opened fire into a crowd of people after some of them had raised the banned “Morning Star” flag. One peaceful demonstrator, Opinus Tabuni, was found dead following the event. Filep Karma, sentenced to 15 years, and Yusak Pakage, sentenced to ten years, remained in jail. The two men were convicted in 2005 for raising the “Morning Star” flag”. The full Country report on Indonesia can be found at
http://thereport.amnesty.org/en/regions/asia-pacific/indonesia
Farmers terrorized
The Jakarta Post (26/5/09) reported that an armed group were terrorizing farmers in the Tanah Hitam hills in Abepura, Papua. According to one farmer “a group of men armed with arrows and bows came to him while he was picking tomatoes. He ran away but was chased. “There were around 20 of them. I managed to hide under a tree and they surrounded me. Then my cellphone rang and they left me”. The police have yet to confirm whether the armed groups were part of the separatist Free Papua Movement.
Victor F. Yeimo of the West Papua National Committee, reported that the attack in the Abepura Mountain was not by the TPN/OPM, but by “ Indonesia Brigadir Mobile (Papua Police). Many camps of farmer broken up by non Papua residents (Indonesia civil militia of Merah Putih) and because on May 24 2009 local indigenous people prohibited them to not occupied their own land”.
Victor also reported that activists from the KNPB are being targeted by the Indoensian military. The following is from Victor’s report, “The Chef of KNPB region Nabire’s house has broken up by Police of Nabire, so is the secretary’s house. 17 Indigenous people still in jail in Nabire after captured when they were rally in demand referendum and boycott Indonesia election in West Papua. My Photos already publish in the public places in Nabire. On of my friends who has the access in Papua Police Office inform me that they have spent our 75 milion rupiah for somebody who arrest or kill me. My Parents and my yongger sister still outside of my house. They have been targeted after I led KNPB to carried out peace demonstrations in whole West Papua to demand referendum and boycott Indonesia public election in West Papua. The meeeting in whole high land districs government have made an agreement in Timika two weeks ago that I was the main arresting and
killing target (I got this info from one of the member of the meeting)”. Other reports on recent incidents in West Papua by Victor F. Yeimo can be found at http://opeeem.blogspot.com/
Three years on, Papuans win the right to a life
Andra Jackson The AGE June 2, 2009
FOR the past 4 and half years, life in Australia for West Papuan asylum seeker Izack Marani has meant constant worry that the Australian Government might give in to Indonesian demands and return him to West Papua. But that cloud of uncertainty has disappeared thanks to the Immigration Department granting permanent residency to him and the 38 countrymen with whom he arrived by boat in 2006. The 46-year-old former sailor said he felt “free and safe”. He has been working on a banana plantation near Cairns, and feels he can now look for a permanent job. Marike Tebay was 17 when she boarded the large outrigger canoe that was to carry her to an unknown future in Australia. “It changes everything,” she said of gaining residency. “I can now choose a study course. Before I couldn’t.” The people she met on her arrival had been helpful, she said. “Now I feel like I have a home.” The group’s final visa was received last week by student David Wainggai, the son of
leading independence figure Thomas Wainggai, who died in an Indonesian jail. David’s cousin, Herman Wainggai, leader of the group, who is studying English, said: “For me and my friends it now feels like we are living permanently in Australia. They (the Australian Government) respect our position.” He said it was sad that four of their original party — a couple and a father and daughter — had returned to West Papua, but said they were offered inducements by Indonesia. Mr Wainggai said the group wanted to show their appreciation to the Australian community by inviting them to a celebration this Thursday night at Northcote Uniting Church.
Papuans seek US support for dialogue with Jakarta
West Papua advocates have been urging the United States to apply meaningful pressure on Indonesia for internationally-facilitated dialogue between Jakarta and Papuan leaders.
A member of the West Papua Advocacy Team spoke before a US Congressional panel about threats to human rights and the environment in Indonesia’s Papua region. The NGO has joined with the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network, or ETAN, in urging Washington to move beyond the current Special Autonomy arrangement in Papua to address the growing human rights crisis. Their appeal came in response to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s call for a degree of autonomy for Papuans. ETAN’s John Miller says he doesn’t think the statement signals a fresh approach from the previous Bush administration. “The Papuans themselves are saying that Special Autonomy has failed, and that they would like meaningful discussion which we think the US has the potential – because of (President) Obama’s background – to do with Indonesia about what Papua’s future should be where everything is on the table.” John Miller (RNZI 08 May, 2009)
Mily HQ: RI-PNG borders security increasingly conducive
Jakarta (ANTARA News) – The National Defence Forces (TNI) Headquarters said security situation in the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea borders has increasingly become conducive after activities at the border checkpoint at Skouw village was resumed on May 5. For the time being, the border checkpoint was opened from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., spokesman for the TNI Headquarters Rear Marshal Sagom Tamboen said here on Sunday. “The measure is designed to ensure that the border security will gradually be restored to normal so that the residents living near the borders can resume their activities as usual,” he said. The border checkpoint at Skouw village, Muara Tami district, Papua province, was closed on April 9 after a bomb planted at the Muara Tami bridge was found. Under normal conditions, Indonesian nationals can cross the borders to visit the neighboring country for not more than 24 hours by producing their identity cards at the TNI security post and later reporting
themselves to the immigration checkpoint at Skouw village. The border post located some 70 km east of the Papua provincial capital of Jayapura is guarded by a task force from the Wirabuana 725 infantry battalion.(*)
(Antara News 05/11/09)
West Papua Coalition wary of indonesia’s closer links to Vanuatu.
The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation says a visit by Indonesia’s Ambassador is unlikely to sway Vanuatu’s support for West Papuan self-determination.
Primo Alui Joelianto has been in Vanuatu to present his credentials to the Head of State as Indonesia’s newly appointed ambassador to Vanuatu, based in Canberra. The ambassador expressed his government’s desire to engage in constructive dialogue with the Pacific region on development and policy issues in line with Jakarta’s “look east” policy, despite differences with countries like Vanuatu over the issue of Papua. The Coalition’s Secretary General, Rex Rumakiek, says Indonesia could be trying to butter up Pacific countries… “We know that they’re doing that and it is open that we want to battle them on that ground. We’re winning the upper hand. So I don’t think they’ve any economic power to influence any government in the region to support them.” Meanwhile, Vanuatu’s Foreign Minister Bakoa Kaltongga has told the ambassador that his government will continue the country’s long-standing tradition of vocal support for West Papuan
self-determination. (RNZI 11 May, 2009)
Second Attack on Papua Military Post Reported.
TEMPO Interactive (07 May, 2009) Jakarta: Another attack reported in Papua on Thursday (7/5) hours after the attack on a teritorial checkpoint Yapen Island. The second report came from Mulia, capital of Puncak Jaya Regency in the main island of Papua, or about 200 kilometers south of Yapen Island. A military post at Mount Kumibaga, the 754 ENK Infantry Battalion post reportedly being shot at 11:30 AM local time (9:30 Jakarta time). Spokesman for Cendrawasih XVII Military Regional Command, Lieutenant Colonel Susilo confirmed the attack but denied that military personnel have fired back and broke the exchange into skirmish. Lt. Colonel Susilo also denied reports on disruptions at local airstrip. TJAHJONO EP
Papua police on alert ahead of presidential election
TIMIKA, Papua: Papuan police have increased security measures ahead of the upcoming presidential elections to ensure against any possible disruption to the nationwide vote by armed groups. The upgrade took place in a number of particular areas, including the regencies of Puncak Jaya, Pegunungan Bintang and Supiori, anticipated as the areas most likely to see a disturbance from armed groups. “A series of violent attacks during and after the recent legislative elections has taught police a good lesson,” Papua deputy chief Brig. Gen. Ahmad Riadi Koni said, referring to a bomb attack in Jayapura, gas station blast in Biak and a murder in Wamena. “Files on the suspects from the Jayapura attack have been handed over to the local prosecutors office for further legal processing,” he said. Riadi Koni said the inaccessible mountain regions will be the most prone to security threats both throughout the campaign period and on voting day. “But all the preparations
*for strengthening security* have been made,” he added. (JP Fri, 05/15/2009)
“Sing Sing,the Melanesian and indigenous Australian music and dance troupe have just completed a succesful USA tour “Sing Sing,the Melanesian and indigenous Australian music and dance troupe have just completed a succesful USA tour presented by New York based the World Music Institute. Sing Sing performed to sell out crowds in Seattle,Santa Barbara,Los Angeles,New york and Burlington Vermont and received a standing ovation at all performances. A historic footnote was that Hein Arumisore from Manokwari was the first West Papuan artist to perform in the USA. Hein featured in a five song tribute to Arnold Ap .This section begun with a spoken word overview by Sing Sing music director David Bridie of the Act of free choice, Arnold Ap’s collection of outlawed West Papuan songs during he 1970s and 80s through to a condemnation of the USA company Freeport McMoRan’s behavior in running the Timika mine .there followed a spine tingling accapella tribute to his homeland by Arumisore with the song Menengayo. This segued into the four part harmony and garamut accompaniment
on the song Apuse,followed by a joyous and frenetic traditional West Papuan dance ,Karawine performed by Hein Arumisore,jeanette Fabila and Georgia Corowa. This culminated in the flying of the Morning Star flag to accompany the anthemic George Telek song,West Papua,which
Telek dedicated to his wantoks on the other side of the artifical border.At the Los Angeles gig at Royce Hall at UCLA the Sing Sing troupe were joined on stage for West Papua by the PNG atheltics team who were training in Los Angeles.This whole West Papuan section of the show also featured excerpts from Mark Worths award winning film “Land of the Morning Star” projected on a huge screen behind the performers . After the show many of the Amercan audience stayed behind to show their appreciation to Arumisore and Telek and to ask more about the situation in West Papua.
The Sing troupe’s members were, George Telek (Rabaul PNG).
Hein Arumisore (Manokwari West Papua). Airi Ingram (Gaba Gaba,Central PNG)
Richard Mogu (Mine Bay PNG). Jeanette Fabila (Port Morseby/Torres Strait ).
Albert David (Iama Island, Torres Strait ). Djakapurra Munyarryun (Yirrkala,Eastern Arnhem Land). Georgia Corowa (Tanna Is Vanuatu/Queensland). David Bridie,Phillip Wales and Timothy Cole (Mebourne Australia) For images form the tour and more information go to www.facebook.com/pages/Sing-Sing/99340343975
www.wantokmusik.org
Reply to AWPA letter from The Hon Stephen Smith MP
Dear Mr Collins,
Thank you for your letter dated 5 April 2009 concerning the situation in West Papua.
The Australian Government strongly supports the development of Papua and West Papua provinces as stable and prosperous parts of the Republic of Indonesia, and believes this is best achieved through the implementation of Special Autonomy laws and respect for human rights. The Government has a strong track record of representations in urging the Indonesian Government to investigate alleged human rights abuses , including in the Papua provinces, and to ensure the human rights of all Indonesians are upheld. I most recently raised these issues with Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Dr Hassan Wirajuda, when we met in Sydney in February.
We are concerned by reports of violence in Papua and West Papua provinces in the lead –up to, and following , the 9 April parliamentary elections. We welcome the strong public turnout at the elections , despite these incidents, and will continue to emphasise the importance of continued restraint by the Indonesian security forces in managing incidents of violence. The Australian Government will also continue to highlight to Indonesia the importance of access to the Papua provinces for credible observers , including foreign media. This is the best way to ensure transparency and that the progress the Yudhoyono Government is making in Papua and West Papua is appreciated abroad.
The Indonesian Government clearly takes a firm stand against perceived separatist activity, including those who display the banned Morning Star flag (a symbol of Papuan independence). The Australian Government will continue to underline to the Indonesian Government that we consider effective implementation of special autonomy and respect for human rights as the best path to achieve prosperity and stability in Papua and West Papua provinces. Thank you for bringing your views to the attention of the Government.
Yours sincerely Stephen Smith
From Tapol News from West Papua
Abridged translations of the following items are by TAPOL
Sebby treated like a terrorist, now ontrial for subversion;
Report from the Christian Evangelical Church in the Land of Papua, 18 May 2009
Sebby Sambom isolated like a terrorist
Besides Buchtar Tabuni, another Papuan has been charged with subversion. The second hearing of his case took place on 13 May at the Jayapura district court, to hear the demurrer (eksepsi) from his legal team. They described the charge sheet from the prosecutor as lacking in clarity and incorrect. They also argued that allegations of subversion on the grounds that the accused had joined together with a hundred people fails to meet allegations of subversion. According to the law, these actions were legal because what they were doing was to express their opinions in public. Sebby was simply making his views known in public and this cannot be described as subversion. Sebby presented an eight-page demurrer entitled ‘The Reference of Laws’. He drew attention to three aspects of the way he had been arrested and detained, stating that it was a premature action while the police of Papua handled the demonstration in a ‘childish’ way. He also told the court that
his treatment was incorrect because he had been held in isolation. ‘Physically, I appear to be healthy but psychologically I am unwell because I have been treated like a terrorist. Every week I have been interrogated two or three times by the police.’ However, neither the judges nor the prosecutor responded to his explanation.
The lawyer acting for Sebby, Petrus Eli, SH, asked the court and the prosecutor to have the accused transferred to Abepura Prison, in order to facilitate communications with his client, and to comply with his rights as a detainee. The prosecutor told the court that the accused should remain in custody at the police command. saying that this would make it easier to escort him to future court sessions. Faced with these contradictory requests, the judge asked the legal team of the accused and the prosecutor to submit their opinions in writing. The next hearing will take place on 20 May to hear the prosecutor’s response to the demurrer of the defence. On 20 May, the prosecutor told the court that he rejects the demurrer and asked the court to proceed with the trial, saying that the charge sheet had been written clearly, in accordance with Article 143 of the Criminal Code. He also described the demurrer as being confused. He referred to Article 87 of the
Criminal Code which states: ‘Subversion is an act taken with the aim of initiating an incident as defined in Article 53 of the Criminal Code. And moreover with the qualification that the accused is involved as a participant in an act of subversion.’The judges’ panel said that it was now the turn of the judges to consider the views presented by the prosecutor and take a decision on the matter The next hearing of the trial will be held on 3 June.
Trial of DAP chairman in Bird’s Head underway for subversion
Media Papua, mid May 2009
The police authorities in Manokwari are showing their determination to proceed with the charge of subversion against the chairman of Bird’s Head DAP (Dewan Adat Papua), and the chairman of the National Committee of Papuan Youth, John Warijo, and the matter is now in the hands of the prosecutor’s office. While confirming that the documents had been handed over, the prosecutor said that, due to the need for additional clarifications, the documents have been returned for these additions to be made. The two defendants are charged with subversion on 1 December 2008, when they participated in an event celebrating the anniversary of the Papuan people. They had both taken part in a long march from the DAP office to Borarsi Square.
The decision to designate the two men as defendants was accepted by the two men who had, together with their lawyer, Yan Christian Warinussy, visited the police office in order to give clarifications about the case. Subsequently however, following a seminar to discuss the meaning of ‘makar’ and ’separatism’. the two men declared that they were not willing to response to any summons from the police and threatened to call out their supporters en masse if the police persist in charging them with subversion.
Trial of Buchtar Tabuni continues
Papua Pos, 7 May 2009 Abridged in translation by TAPOL
A hearing in the trial of Buchtar Tabuni which was held on 6 May was attended by Nazaruddin Bunas, SH, the head of the Law and Human Rights Division of the province of Papua. Nazaruddin Bunas told journalists that he had decided to attend the hearing in order to see for himself how the trial was proceeding. The hearing was held to hear testimonies from witnesses called by the defence, but these witnesses as well as expert witnesses who had been summoned did not turn up so the judge adjourned the hearing for a week and said that he expected these witnesses to appear next week. Buchtar Tabuni is on trial on the charge of makar (subversion) for taking part in a demonstration in Jayapura on 16 October last year, on the same day as the International Parliamentarians for West Papua was launched in London. Asked about his opinion on the use of the charge of makar, Bunas said that so-called makar cases were occurring because the aspirations of the people have
been neglected. These aspirations were reflected in the Law on Special Autonomy, such as that priority should be given to the employment of Papuan people.
’The failure to implement this is resulting in incidents which are regarded as being acts of subversion.’ He said that it was essential for the government, the local legislative assembly and the MRP to get together and talk about the enactment of special regulations (Perdasus and Perdasi) regulating the rights of the Papuan people. On the same day, the trial of Sebby Sambon, another Papuan who is facing makar charges, also took place.
A failure by DFAT
According to a media report the reason the Merauke five received such tough jail sentences is that it is payback for the way Australia treats Indonesian fishermen. Documents obtained by Fairfax newspapers, show prosecutors urged the Supreme Court to uphold the sentences because they were lawful unlike a neighboring country who, without legal process, burn and sink Indonesian fishing boats that enter their territorial borders. According to the Merauke five, the Australian Government has done little to help.
Why the Merauke Five feel betrayed by Australia
Tom Allard Herald Correspondent in Merauke SMH June 3, 2009
ASK five Australians in the Papuan town of Merauke to name the worst thing about being detained for almost nine months and the responses vary. Karen Burke joined the planned three-day trip at the last minute and fears she will never see her ailing father, 83, again. Keith Mortimer believes he will not survive another stint in an Indonesian jail. “I am absolutely petrified.” William Scott-Bloxam heard that his son Konrad had died in a surfing accident in Australia. He could not attend the funeral. Hubert Hofer nominates the moment when, after being told they would be free to go home in March, prosecutors launched an appeal and the Attorney-General slapped a travel ban on them. But Vera Scott-Bloxam perhaps best sums up the peculiar and prolonged agony of the so-called Merauke Five: “We have no idea what’s happening. We have no idea where the next blow is coming from. The mental anguish is leaving us all in a very bad state.” The five, under city detention
in the town of some 50,000 people in the country’s far south-east, spoke to the Herald at their ramshackle home. Next door lives a family of indigenous Papuans, some of the many – from senior officials to taxi drivers – who have extended their kindness. “They brought us food every single day when we were in jail,” Mr Hofer said.
“People we don’t know, even the authorities, say: ‘Are you still here? Why are you still here?” It is a question the Merauke Five wish the Australian Government would ask more often. “We came here with honest intentions to visit our next-door neighbour and explore its potential tourism opportunities,” Mr Scott-Bloxam said. “We spoke to air traffic control before we came in. We hid nothing. We have always co-operated with the authorities. “I made a mistake in not checking the information I was given. But we are not drug dealers, we are not criminals. We didn’t come to steal. We didn’t come to smuggle.” When he was Opposition foreign affairs spokesman, Kevin Rudd issued a press release demanding the Howard government do more to help the Gold Coast beautician Schapelle Corby after 4 kilograms of marijuana was found in her possession. As Prime Minister his only remark on the Merauke Five came last week: consular assistance is being afforded to them. But Mr
Mortimer said they needed more than care packages and a kind word from the odd embassy visitor. A stern protest to Indonesia from Mr Rudd would help, but “they have been spineless”. The five – aged 51 to 63 – flew to Merauke from Horn Island in Mr Scott-Bloxam’s light plane, a journey of less than an hour. A flight plan had been forwarded, but special clearance for the sensitive province of Papua had not been organised. Mr Scott-Bloxam said he tried twice to find out from the Indonesian embassy in Canberra about the requirements before flying out.
The five thought they would be allowed to go home as planned after three days once they paid the fine – almost $US4000 ($5000). But they were charged with immigration violations and sentenced to two to three years in prison. They were acquitted on appeal. But prosecutors launched another appeal to the country’s highest appellate court, where the matter still lies.
Press release/reports etc.
Amnesty International Report 2009 State of the world’s human rights
http://thereport.amnesty.org/
Country report Indonesia
http://thereport.amnesty.org/en/regions/asia-pacific/indonesia
Winners And Losers In Indonesia’s Elections
Monday, 1 June 2009, 12:55 pm
Press Release: West Papua Media Alerts
Winners And Losers In Indonesia’s Elections
27 May 2009 ¬ Despite serious problems with flawed voter lists and complicated voting procedures, last month’s elections in Indonesia passed off relatively peacefully with a rainbow of secular and religious parties winning seats in the national parliament and regional assemblies. An analysis of the winners and losers is provided in ‘A victory for mainstream politics in Indonesia’, published online today by TAPOL in its latest Election Update (http://tapol.gn.apc.org/elections.htm).
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0906/S00010.htm AWPA (Sydney) briefing paper sent to all federal politicans
http://www.southeastasiantimes.com/AWPA%2019%20May%202009%20Paper%20on%20West%20Papua%20for%20Australian%20federal%20politicians.PDF
Papua Tribesman
http://papuapost.com, http://www.infopapua.org,
http://westpapua.net, http://malanesianews.org
Mobile: +353(0)86374 6379, Fax: +353 404 46400
Mail: Papua Press Agency, International Desk, c/o 54 Evora Park,HOWTH, Co. Dublin, Republic of Ireland
— On Tue, 6/2/09, AWPA Sydney wrote:
> From: AWPA Sydney
> Subject: [wp] AWPA May update
> To: reg.westpapua@lists.riseup.net
> Date: Tuesday, June 2, 2009, 10:33 PM
> > > > #yiv1815956219 .hmmessage P
> {
> margin:0px;padding:0px;}
> #yiv1815956219 {
> font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana;}
> > > > Australia West Papua Association
> (Sydney)PO Box 28, Spit Junction, NSW
> 2088Email:bunyip@bigpond.net.au West Papua
> update. May 2009Summary of May
> events
> Airstrip
> occupiedAn airstrip was occupied by the
> OPM in the village of Kasepo, Mambramo Raya, some 300
> kilometers from Jayapura on the 18 May. According to the
> Jakarta Globe (20 May), The OPM had taken over the landing
> strip and erected a tent and raised the Morning Star Flag.
> The police responded by sending personnel from Detachment
> 88, the anti-terror squad to the area. As of the 2 June
> the airstrip was still being occupied by up to 150 local
> residents. Although the police claim they have the airfield
> surrounded they said they are trying to persuade the
> residents to leave voluntarily. The occupation of the
> airstrip is under the leadership of Decky
> Imbiri. Amnesty International’s State
> of the world’s human rights report
> (2009)Amnesty International’s State of
> the world’s human rights report (2009), has reported
> that the situations in Papua and Maluku have continued to
> deteriorate. In Amnesty’s country report on Indonesia it
> stated that there continued to be attacks on freedom of
> expression, that the number of prisoners of conscience rose
> sharply to 117 and attacks against minority religious
> groups and their leaders increased across the archipelago.
> Amnesty also reported that “torture, excessive use of
> force and unlawful killings by police and security forces
> continued” and “no progress was made in bringing the
> perpetrators of past gross human rights violations in
> Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD), Papua and Timor-Leste to
> justice”.From the report on
> Papua“Low-level conflict between the
> security forces and pro-independence insurgents in Papua
> continued. Local community leaders were intimidated and
> threatened by the military and police. There were reports of
> torture and other ill-treatment, excessive use of force and
> extrajudicial executions by security forces. In August, at a
> rally celebrating World Indigenous Day, police opened fire
> into a crowd of people after some of them had raised the
> banned “Morning Star” flag. One peaceful demonstrator,
> Opinus Tabuni, was found dead following the event. Filep
> Karma, sentenced to 15 years, and Yusak Pakage, sentenced to
> ten years, remained in jail. The two men were convicted in
> 2005 for raising the “Morning Star” flag”. The full
> Country report on Indonesia can be found athttp://thereport.amnesty.org/en/regions/asia-pacific/indonesia
> Farmers
> terrorizedThe Jakarta Post (26/5/09) reported
> that an armed group were terrorizing farmers in the Tanah
> Hitam hills in Abepura, Papua. According to one farmer “a
> group of men armed with arrows and bows came to him while he
> was picking tomatoes. He ran away but was chased. “There
> were around 20 of them. I managed to hide under a tree and
> they surrounded me. Then my cellphone rang and they left
> me”. The police have yet to confirm whether the armed
> groups were part of the separatist Free Papua
> Movement. Victor F. Yeimo of the West Papua
> National Committee, reported that the attack in the Abepura
> Mountain was not by the TPN/OPM, but by “ Indonesia
> Brigadir Mobile (Papua Police). Many camps of farmer broken
> up by non Papua residents (Indonesia civil militia of Merah
> Putih) and because on May 24 2009 local indigenous people
> prohibited them to not occupied their own
> land”. Victor also reported that activists
> from the KNPB are being targeted by the Indoensian military.
> The following is from Victor’s report, “The Chef of
> KNPB region Nabire’s house has broken up by Police of
> Nabire, so is the secretary’s house. 17 Indigenous
> people still in jail in Nabire after captured when they were
> rally in demand referendum and boycott Indonesia election in
> West Papua. My Photos already publish in the public places
> in Nabire. On of my friends who has the access in Papua
> Police Office inform me that they have spent our 75 milion
> rupiah for somebody who arrest or kill me. My Parents and
> my yongger sister still outside of my house. They have been
> targeted after I led KNPB to carried out peace
> demonstrations in whole West Papua to demand referendum and
> boycott Indonesia public election in West Papua. The
> meeeting in whole high land districs government have made an
> agreement in Timika two weeks ago that I was the main
> arresting and killing target (I got this info from one of
> the member of the meeting)”. Other reports on recent
> incidents in West Papua by Victor F. Yeimo can be found
> at http://opeeem.blogspot.com/ Three years on, Papuans win the
> right to a lifeAndra Jackson The AGE June 2,
> 2009FOR the past 4 and half years, life
> in Australia for West Papuan asylum seeker Izack Marani has
> meant constant worry that the Australian Government might
> give in to Indonesian demands and return him to West Papua.
> But that cloud of uncertainty has disappeared thanks to the
> Immigration Department granting permanent residency to him
> and the 38 countrymen with whom he arrived by boat in 2006.
> The 46-year-old former sailor said he felt “free and
> safe”. He has been working on a banana plantation near
> Cairns, and feels he can now look for a permanent job.
> Marike Tebay was 17 when she boarded the large outrigger
> canoe that was to carry her to an unknown future in
> Australia. “It changes everything,” she said of
> gaining residency. “I can now choose a study course.
> Before I couldn’t.” The people she met on her
> arrival had been helpful, she said. “Now I feel like I
> have a home.” The group’s final visa was received
> last week by student David Wainggai, the son of leading
> independence figure Thomas Wainggai, who died in an
> Indonesian jail. David’s cousin, Herman Wainggai, leader
> of the group, who is studying English, said: “For me
> and my friends it now feels like we are living permanently
> in Australia. They (the Australian Government) respect our
> position.” He said it was sad that four of their
> original party — a couple and a father and daughter —
> had returned to West Papua, but said they were offered
> inducements by Indonesia. Mr Wainggai said the group wanted
> to show their appreciation to the Australian community by
> inviting them to a celebration this Thursday night at
> Northcote Uniting Church. Papuans seek US support for
> dialogue with JakartaWest Papua advocates have been
> urging the United States to apply meaningful pressure on
> Indonesia for internationally-facilitated dialogue between
> Jakarta and Papuan leaders.A member of the West Papua Advocacy
> Team spoke before a US Congressional panel about threats to
> human rights and the environment in Indonesia’s Papua
> region. The NGO has joined with the East Timor and Indonesia
> Action Network, or ETAN, in urging Washington to move beyond
> the current Special Autonomy arrangement in Papua to address
> the growing human rights crisis. Their appeal came in
> response to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s call
> for a degree of autonomy for Papuans. ETAN’s John Miller
> says he doesn’t think the statement signals a fresh
> approach from the previous Bush administration. “The
> Papuans themselves are saying that Special Autonomy has
> failed, and that they would like meaningful discussion which
> we think the US has the potential – because of (President)
> Obama’s background – to do with Indonesia about what
> Papua’s future should be where everything is on the
> table.” John Miller (RNZI 08 May, 2009) Mily HQ: RI-PNG borders security
> increasingly conduciveJakarta (ANTARA News) – The National
> Defence Forces (TNI) Headquarters said security situation in
> the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea borders has increasingly
> become conducive after activities at the border checkpoint
> at Skouw village was resumed on May 5. For the time being,
> the border checkpoint was opened from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
> spokesman for the TNI Headquarters Rear Marshal Sagom
> Tamboen said here on Sunday. “The measure is designed
> to ensure that the border security will gradually be
> restored to normal so that the residents living near the
> borders can resume their activities as usual,” he said.
> The border checkpoint at Skouw village, Muara Tami district,
> Papua province, was closed on April 9 after a bomb planted
> at the Muara Tami bridge was found. Under normal conditions,
> Indonesian nationals can cross the borders to visit the
> neighboring country for not more than 24 hours by producing
> their identity cards at the TNI security post and later
> reporting themselves to the immigration checkpoint at Skouw
> village. The border post located some 70 km east of the
> Papua provincial capital of Jayapura is guarded by a task
> force from the Wirabuana 725 infantry
> battalion.(*)(Antara
> News 05/11/09) West Papua Coalition wary of
> indonesia’s closer links to
> Vanuatu.The West Papua National Coalition
> for Liberation says a visit by Indonesia’s Ambassador is
> unlikely to sway Vanuatu’s support for West Papuan
> self-determination.Primo Alui Joelianto has been in
> Vanuatu to present his credentials to the Head of State as
> Indonesia’s newly appointed ambassador to Vanuatu, based
> in Canberra. The ambassador expressed his government’s
> desire to engage in constructive dialogue with the Pacific
> region on development and policy issues in line with
> Jakarta’s “look east” policy, despite
> differences with countries like Vanuatu over the issue of
> Papua. The Coalition’s Secretary General, Rex Rumakiek,
> says Indonesia could be trying to butter up Pacific
> countries… “We know that they’re doing that and it is
> open that we want to battle them on that ground. We’re
> winning the upper hand. So I don’t think they’ve any
> economic power to influence any government in the region to
> support them.” Meanwhile, Vanuatu’s Foreign Minister
> Bakoa Kaltongga has told the ambassador that his government
> will continue the country’s long-standing tradition of
> vocal support for West Papuan self-determination. (RNZI 11
> May, 2009) Second Attack on Papua Military
> Post Reported.TEMPO Interactive (07 May,
> 2009) Jakarta: Another attack reported in Papua on Thursday
> (7/5) hours after the attack on a teritorial checkpoint
> Yapen Island. The second report came from Mulia, capital of
> Puncak Jaya Regency in the main island of Papua, or about
> 200 kilometers south of Yapen Island. A military post at
> Mount Kumibaga, the 754 ENK Infantry Battalion post
> reportedly being shot at 11:30 AM local time (9:30 Jakarta
> time). Spokesman for Cendrawasih XVII Military Regional
> Command, Lieutenant Colonel Susilo confirmed the attack but
> denied that military personnel have fired back and broke the
> exchange into skirmish. Lt. Colonel Susilo also denied
> reports on disruptions at local airstrip. TJAHJONO
> EP Papua police on alert ahead of
> presidential electionTIMIKA, Papua: Papuan police have
> increased security measures ahead of the upcoming
> presidential elections to ensure against any possible
> disruption to the nationwide vote by armed groups. The
> upgrade took place in a number of particular areas,
> including the regencies of Puncak Jaya, Pegunungan Bintang
> and Supiori, anticipated as the areas most likely to see a
> disturbance from armed groups. “A series of violent
> attacks during and after the recent legislative elections
> has taught police a good lesson,” Papua deputy chief
> Brig. Gen. Ahmad Riadi Koni said, referring to a bomb attack
> in Jayapura, gas station blast in Biak and a murder in
> Wamena. “Files on the suspects from the Jayapura attack
> have been handed over to the local prosecutors office for
> further legal processing,” he said. Riadi Koni said the
> inaccessible mountain regions will be the most prone to
> security threats both throughout the campaign period and on
> voting day. “But all the preparations *for
> strengthening security* have been made,” he added. (JP
> Fri, 05/15/2009)
> “Sing Sing,the Melanesian and
> indigenous Australian music and dance troupe have just
> completed a succesful USA tour “Sing Sing,the Melanesian and
> indigenous Australian music and dance troupe have just
> completed a succesful USA tour presented by New York based
> the World Music Institute. Sing Sing performed to sell out
> crowds in Seattle,Santa Barbara,Los Angeles,New york and
> Burlington Vermont and received a standing ovation at all
> performances. A historic footnote was that Hein Arumisore
> from Manokwari was the first West Papuan artist to perform
> in the USA. Hein featured in a five song tribute to Arnold
> Ap .This section begun with a spoken word overview by Sing
> Sing music director David Bridie of the Act of free choice,
> Arnold Ap’s collection of outlawed West Papuan songs
> during he 1970s and 80s through to a condemnation of the USA
> company Freeport McMoRan’s behavior in running the Timika
> mine .there followed a spine tingling accapella tribute to
> his homeland by Arumisore with the song Menengayo. This
> segued into the four part harmony and garamut accompaniment
> on the song Apuse,followed by a joyous and frenetic
> traditional West Papuan dance ,Karawine performed by Hein
> Arumisore,jeanette Fabila and Georgia Corowa. This
> culminated in the flying of the Morning Star flag to
> accompany the anthemic George Telek song,West
> Papua,which Telek dedicated to his wantoks on
> the other side of the artifical border.At the Los Angeles
> gig at Royce Hall at UCLA the Sing Sing troupe were joined
> on stage for West Papua by the PNG atheltics team who were
> training in Los Angeles.This whole West Papuan section of
> the show also featured excerpts from Mark Worths award
> winning film “Land of the Morning Star” projected on a
> huge screen behind the performers . After the show many of
> the Amercan audience stayed behind to show their
> appreciation to Arumisore and Telek and to ask more about
> the situation in West Papua.The Sing troupe’s members were,
> George Telek (Rabaul PNG).Hein Arumisore (Manokwari West
> Papua). Airi Ingram (Gaba Gaba,Central PNG)Richard Mogu (Mine Bay PNG).
> Jeanette Fabila (Port Morseby/Torres Strait
> ).Albert David (Iama Island, Torres
> Strait ). Djakapurra Munyarryun (Yirrkala,Eastern Arnhem
> Land). Georgia Corowa (Tanna Is Vanuatu/Queensland). David
> Bridie,Phillip Wales and Timothy Cole (Mebourne Australia)
> For images form the tour and more information go to www.facebook.com/pages/Sing-Sing/99340343975www.wantokmusik.org Reply to AWPA letter from The Hon
> Stephen Smith MPDear Mr Collins,Thank you for your letter dated 5
> April 2009 concerning the situation in West
> Papua.The Australian Government strongly
> supports the development of Papua and West Papua provinces
> as stable and prosperous parts of the Republic of Indonesia,
> and believes this is best achieved through the
> implementation of Special Autonomy laws and respect for
> human rights. The Government has a strong track record of
> representations in urging the Indonesian Government to
> investigate alleged human rights abuses , including in the
> Papua provinces, and to ensure the human rights of all
> Indonesians are upheld. I most recently raised these issues
> with Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Dr Hassan Wirajuda,
> when we met in Sydney in February. We are concerned by reports of
> violence in Papua and West Papua provinces in the lead –up
> to, and following , the 9 April parliamentary elections. We
> welcome the strong public turnout at the elections , despite
> these incidents, and will continue to emphasise the
> importance of continued restraint by the Indonesian security
> forces in managing incidents of violence. The Australian
> Government will also continue to highlight to Indonesia the
> importance of access to the Papua provinces for credible
> observers , including foreign media. This is the best way to
> ensure transparency and that the progress the Yudhoyono
> Government is making in Papua and West Papua is appreciated
> abroad. The Indonesian Government clearly
> takes a firm stand against perceived separatist activity,
> including those who display the banned Morning Star flag (a
> symbol of Papuan independence). The Australian Government
> will continue to underline to the Indonesian Government that
> we consider effective implementation of special autonomy and
> respect for human rights as the best path to achieve
> prosperity and stability in Papua and West Papua provinces.
> Thank you for bringing your views to the attention of the
> Government.Yours sincerely Stephen
> Smith
> From Tapol News from
> West PapuaAbridged translations of the
> following items are by TAPOLSebby treated like a terrorist, now
> ontrial for subversion;Report from the Christian
> Evangelical Church in the Land of Papua, 18 May
> 2009Sebby Sambom isolated like a
> terroristBesides Buchtar Tabuni, another
> Papuan has been charged with subversion. The second hearing
> of his case took place on 13 May at the Jayapura district
> court, to hear the demurrer (eksepsi) from his legal team.
> They described the charge sheet from the prosecutor as
> lacking in clarity and incorrect. They also argued
> that allegations of subversion on the grounds that the
> accused had joined together with a hundred people fails to
> meet allegations of subversion. According to the law, these
> actions were legal because what they were doing was to
> express their opinions in public. Sebby was simply making
> his views known in public and this cannot be described as
> subversion. Sebby presented an eight-page demurrer
> entitled ‘The Reference of Laws’. He drew attention
> to three aspects of the way he had been arrested and
> detained, stating that it was a premature action while the
> police of Papua handled the demonstration in a
> ‘childish’ way. He also told the court that
> his treatment was incorrect because he had been held in
> isolation. ‘Physically, I appear to be healthy but
> psychologically I am unwell because I have been treated like
> a terrorist. Every week I have been interrogated two or
> three times by the police.’ However, neither the
> judges nor the prosecutor responded to his
> explanation.The lawyer acting for Sebby, Petrus
> Eli, SH, asked the court and the prosecutor to have the
> accused transferred to Abepura Prison, in order to
> facilitate communications with his client, and to comply
> with his rights as a detainee. The prosecutor told the court
> that the accused should remain in custody at the police
> command. saying that this would make it easier to escort him
> to future court sessions. Faced with these
> contradictory requests, the judge asked the legal team of
> the accused and the prosecutor to submit their opinions in
> writing. The next hearing will take place on 20 May
> to hear the prosecutor’s response to the demurrer of the
> defence. On 20 May, the prosecutor told the court
> that he rejects the demurrer and asked the court to proceed
> with the trial, saying that the charge sheet had been
> written clearly, in accordance with Article 143 of the
> Criminal Code. He also described the demurrer as being
> confused. He referred to Article 87 of the Criminal Code
> which states: ‘Subversion is an act taken with the aim
> of initiating an incident as defined in Article 53 of the
> Criminal Code. And moreover with the qualification that the
> accused
Semua orang Papua khususnya, dan pemerhati Masyarakat Adat (MADAT) pada umumnya, dengan segala kerendahan hati, saya mohon Anda sekalian berikan masukan-masukan seperlunya untuk pengembangan konsep ini agar MADAT tidak tersapu bersih, tersingkir atau terbawa arus modernisasi yang sudah jelas-jelas mencelakakan manusia dan malahan kehidupan dan Planet Bumi itu sendiri.
Konsep ini diajukan dalam rangka menyelamatkan MADAT dan sekaligus kehidupan serta Planet Bumi dari kepunahannya.
