By Max Bartels
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania 

Manokwari, West Papua — West Papua has been occupied by Indonesia since the 1960s, the province is rich in natural resources including one of the world’s largest goldmines. The Indonesian annexation and occupation of the province has been heavily criticized by the international community. There are many resistance groups within the province that advocate for West Papuan independence, the advocating for independence has been strictly outlawed by the occupying Indonesian forces and in the process of stamping out resistance there have been many tragic incidents.

In December 2014 Human Rights Watch reported that Indonesian security forces fired live rounds into a crowd of protesters, killing four teenagers aged 17-18 years old. There is conflicting reports from the Indonesia military and police who claim that the teens were killed when several hundred protesters attack police posts and it is still unclear who fired the shots. Human Rights Watch claims that the Indonesian government keeps a very tight grip on the flow of information in West Papua and foreign reporting is heavily regulated.

More recently two Indonesian police officers were killed during fighting with West Papuan activists. In response Indonesian forces have conducted mass raids and arrests of West Papuan civilians. Indonesian forces conducted a raid of a small village and found separatist banners in one home. According to a spokesman for the Papuan United Liberation Front, 100 people were arrested including women and children and dozens of homes were burned down. The Indonesian government claims that only 13 people were arrested and also claims that the 13 were part of a group led by a man who is responsible for killing the two police officers. Indonesia has been criticized for the heavy response to the deaths of the two officers after there was no response to the deaths of four Papuan teenagers a month earlier, who were killed when police and military fired live ammunition into a crowd of protesters.

There has recently been a change of leadership in Indonesian government; President Joko Widodo has claimed that he is going to give the people of West Papua the opportunity to be heard by the Indonesian government. The President has made strong claims that he is going to change the approach that Indonesian police and military have taken in the province and replace it with a more caring and responsive approach. To prove his resolve to make a change he has vowed to launch a full investigation into the deaths of the teenagers killed in the protest in combination with human rights agencies.

For more information, please see: 

Pacific Scoop — West Papua Year in Review — 13 January 2015

The Jakarta Globe — Papuans have Heard Jokowi’s Promises, but is the President Listening? — 12 January 2015

The Guardian — Indonesia Targeting West Papuans with Mass Arrests and Home Burning — 13 January 2015

Aljazeera — Fresh Unrest Rocks Indonesia’s Papua Province — 9 December 2014

By Max Bartels 

Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

 

Canberra, Australia

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has ordered inquiries into the Sydney Siege and the gunman Man Haron Monis who killed two hostages when he seized a Sydney coffee shop and took 18 hostages. Police stormed the coffee shop and killed Monis after he executed one of the hostages. Since the attack there has been much speculation on whether the attack was a terrorist attack by the Islamic State or the actions of one mentally unstable fanatic.

After the attack a leader of Australia’s Labor Party resigned after it came to light that he wrote a letter of support to Monis back in 2011 over the custody of his children on Father’s Day. The request for custody was granted even though Monis had been charged for sending offensive letters to the families of dead Australian soldiers. Monis’ then wife was murdered two years after the letter was written and Monis was charged with accessory to murder while his girlfriend, Almirah Droudis was arrested for murder. The politician stated that at the time, the letter was just a routine granting of a constituent’s request but its effect on the polls and the loss of the support of his colleagues led him to resign.

Prime Minister Abbott has warned that terrorist chatter regarding attacks on Australia has increased since the Sydney Siege and Australia remains on high alert. The Prime Minister has refused to link the attack in Sydney to the Islamic state or Islam. Monis was previously on the Australian terror watch list but fell off at some unknown point. The attack was committed while Monis was out on bail for the accessory to murder charge.

The Prime Minster continues to support Australian troops fighting in the coalition against the Islamic State. Abbott has stated that fighting the IS threat abroad keeps Australians safer at home. Currently Australia has deployed 200 special forces personnel to Iraq to assist in training the Iraqi military as well as about 400 other personnel, including fighter jets to aide in the airstrikes against IS assets in Iraq and Syria. Abbott has not ruled about expanding Australia’s contribution and role in the U.S led coalition.

For more information, please see:

The Telegraph — Australian MP Resigns Over Letter of Support for Sydney Siege Gunman — 23 December 2014

The Daily Mail — Police Believed Sydney Gunman had a Bomb Strapped to Himself — 3 January 2015 

The Guardian — Tony Abbott Warns Terrorism Chatter has Increased and Attack Remains “Likely” — 23 December 2014

ABC News — Tony Abbott Speaks Says Fighting IS Keeps Australians Safe at Home on Visit to UAE — 4 January 2015

By Max Bartels 

Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania 

 

Honiara, Solomon Islands

Corruption is endemic in the Solomon Islands, the small island nation is in the process of an election and there are concerns that there is no cure to suppress the rampant corruption. A High Court Judge in Australia has stated that the country is in desperate need of a special taskforce to tackle the corruption. According to the Judge it is so prevalent that there is no debate about its existence and no attempt to hide any corrupt practices. Corruption dominates every aspect of society, from government, politics, the police, to private industry and business. There is a call for an international and independent commission; the corruption would immediately taint any commission formed domestically.

The Current election in the Solomon Islands is the first since an Australian led peace keeping force has scaled down operations in 2013. The operation was deployed to stop systemic ethnic violence and restore order. An anti-corruption watchdog called Transparency Solomon Islands has asked all candidates to sign an anti-corruption pledge. The pledge simply states that if the candidate is voted into office the candidate promises not to accept bribes or give bribes. So far 73 out of the 400 candidates for political office have singed on.

At present, Transparency Solomon Islands is concerned about the integrity of the election process and election fraud is a major concern. There is not the same international support for the election in the Solomon Islands as there was a few months ago for the Fiji election but Transparency states that the concern is just as pressing. Transparency claims that part of the problem is that education is not advanced in many of the rural areas of the islands, and that there is a lack of awareness that corruption, such as vote buying and selling is counterproductive to the democratic process.

Many voters will take days and even weeks to get to the nearest poling station, arriving by foot and by boat. 280,000 voters are registered for the election from across the many islands that make up the Solomons’. This final number was reached after 160,000 fraudulent registrations were screened out by an audit. The election is being conducted according to a biometric voter registration system. Registered voters receive a individualized biometric registration card, in an effort to cut down on fraud and keep others from voting in someone’s stead. However, once the cards were issued many were sold and exchanged as currency for money or gifts.

For more information, please see: 

ABC News — Independent Commission Needed in Solomon Islands to Tackle Endemic Corruption: Outgoing High Court Judge Says — 19 November 2014 

Reuters — Solomon Islands Stages First Election Since End of Peacekeeping Intervention — 18 November, 2014

BBC News — Solomon Islanders Vote in First Post- Ramsi Election — 19 November, 2014 

ABC News — Polls Close in Solomon Islands’ Genreal Election — 19 November 2014

By Max Bartels 

Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania 

 

Canberra, Australia

Australian immigration policy has again, come under scrutiny as they prepare to deport a young Afghan man from Australia back to Afghanistan. The news is concerning to many, in light of the results of past deportations of Afghani refugees back to Afghanistan. In September of 2011 Zainullah Naseri was deported from Australia back to Afghanistan when his refugee application was rejected by Immigration Department. Upon returning to Afghanistan Naseri was reportedly abducted and tortured by the Taliban for two days. He somehow escaped from the Taliban using a rock to break his chains, upon his escape he was picked up by Afghan police, who interrogated him and threatened him by firing shots at his feet. Naseri claims that he was targeted because of his connection to Australia,  he now lives in hiding, in fear of contact with both the Taliban and Afghan Police.

Scott Morrison, the Australian Immigration Minister, has ordered an investigation into the kidnapping of Naseri and a broader inquiry into the safety of Afghani- Australian Refugees returning to Afghanistan. Morrison has stated that he has been advised that there are reports suggesting that the kidnapping of Naseri was purely opportunistic and therefore, not related to a a fear of prosecution, which would trigger Australia’s protection obligation. In light of these findings Australia will continue the deportations until the protection obligation is triggered. There is growing concern in Australia of the consequences of deporting these refugees back to Afghanistan and the safety concerns that go along with it. A motion in the Senate proposes calling an immediate moratorium on the deportations.

Now Australia has deported its second Afghani refugee from Australia back to Afghanistan, Australia has not disclosed the name of the individual, he is simply referred to as R. R is from the same province of Afghanistan as Naseri and there is a concern that he will also be at risk of kidnap or even death from the Taliban. Adding to the concerns of R is the deportation charge given to him by the government of Australia. The government is charging him a $25,000 bill or his deportation, $1,000 for his flight and $24,000 for the estimated seven Australian officials who will accompany him on his flight. There are further reports that seven more Afghani-Australian refugees are in custody in Australia and set to be deported back to Afghanistan as well.

For more information, please see:

ABC News — Calls for Moratorium on Deportation on Asylum Seekers to Afghanistan after Abduction, Torture Claims — 27 October 2014

The Guardian — Afghan Hazara Asylum Seekers to be Forcibly Deported to Afghanistan — 7 October 2014

The Sydney Morning Herald — Government to Investigate Torture Claims of Deported Asylum Seeker Zainullah Naseri — 27 October 2014 

The Guardian — Australia Forcibly Returns Second Afghan Hazara, Despite Fears Over Safety — 28 October 2014

 

 

By Max Bartels 

Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

 

Canberra, Australia

Asylum seekers attempting to reach Australia are intercepted by Australian border agents and sent to one of two refugee camps, either on Papua New Guinea or Nauru. The UN and other human rights groups have heavily criticized this Australian immigration policy. The conditions in these refugee camps are reported to be below standards and the refugees have little hope of getting clearance to enter into Australia. Adding to the scrutiny of these camps, it has recently been reported that there are accusations of sexual abuse and other forms of misconduct by Australian immigration guards against refugees held in the Nauru facility.

The Australian Minister of Immigration, Scott Morrison, has ordered an investigation into the accusation. The accusations against the guards of the facility are reported to include requiring sexual favors for female refugees to use the showers and forcing children to engage in sexual acts for entertainment. Morrison has stated that if true these acts would be abhorrent and would work to completely undermine Australian immigration policy. There have been additional reports that employees of service providers for the Nauru center have been misusing reports, encouraging the use of children in protests and coaching those detained on the island to engage in self- harm. Morrison has stated that whatever their political views, the reports of these employees encouraging protests and self- harm are unacceptable.

Many children on Nauru have engaged in the practice of sewing their lips together and refusing food or water in protest for their indefinite detention in the camp. Morrison stated that 10 workers of the Save the Children Charity have been removed from working on the island. Both Morrison and the charity deny any allegations that these employees had anything to do with the sexual abuse or misconduct investigation. It has been reported that Save the Children was the first to report the children sewing their lips together.

The investigation is not being undertaken by the Australian immigration agency but by a independent party. The interim report of the investigation is due to be issued in several weeks and the full report by the end of the year. At the present moment there is a finger pointing battle between the government and other groups working on Nauru as to who is responsible for the alleged abuses.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera — Australia Probes Sexual Abuse Claims on Nauru — 3 October 2014

Yahoo News — Australia Orders Inquiry into Nauru Refugee Camp — 3 October 2014

Reuters — Australia to Probe Sexual Abuse Claims at Nauru Refugee Center — 2 October 2014

BBC News — Australia Orders Inquiry into Nauru Abuse Claims — 3 October 2014