Gat Wenda is a member of the Guardians of the Land of Papua (Penjaga Tanah Papua, PETAPA), an indigenous community security organisation. He also participated in the organisation of the October 2011 Third Papuan People’s Congress, which lead to his arrest under treason charges.
From 17 to 19 October 2011, the Third Papuan People’s Congress was attended by more than 4,000 Papuan participants, and took place at the Zacheus football field of the Catholic Mission in Padang Bulan, near the provincial capital of Jayapura. The ‘Morning Star’ flag was raised at the event. According to the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), around 2,200 members of the Indonesian military (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI) and the police Mobile Brigades (Brigade Mobil, known locally as ‘Brimob’) were present. At least 100 members of the security forces reportedly surrounded the area with police cars, armoured vehicles and heavy firearms, whereas the participants were unarmed.
On 19 October 2011 at around 14:00 local time, a political declaration about the self-determination of Papuan people was read out by Mr Forkorus Yaboisembut and Mr Edison Waromi, who had just been elected as political leaders of what was declared to be the West Papuan Federal State.
Following the declaration, the Congress ended and participants began to disperse to return to their homes. Security forces began to fire shots into the air and reportedly used tear gas on the retreating crowd whilst beating participants, resulting in dozens injured. Around 300 persons were arrested and taken into custody in trucks, most of whom were later released. Video footage of the event, obtained by Down to Earth and TAPOL, has confirmed that a large number of shots were fired, and that unarmed Congress participants were beaten.
Mr Wenda was arrested along with four of the other Congress organisers; Forkorus Yaboisembut, Edison Waromi, Dominikus Sorabut, and August Makbrawen Sananay Kraar. On 20 October, Selpius Bobii, Chairman of the Congress, surrendered to the police. While the other five men were charged with treason, Mr Wenda was charged under the 1951 Emergency Law on possession of a sharp weapon, and sentenced to five months in prison. He was released on 15 March 2012, having already spent four months in detention. The other five men were each sentenced to three years imprisonment.
Sources
Amnesty International, “Indonesia: release participants of peaceful gathering in Papua,” 20 October 2011,
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA21/033/2011/en/5eb8e86b-1945-4f87-8ef2-d9c7022e7985/asa210332011en.pdf
Asian Human Rights Commission, “Security forces open fire at the Third Papuan People’s Congress,” 19 October 2011,
INDONESIA: Security forces open fire at Third Papuan People’s Congress
Asian Human Rights Commission, “Troops open fire on Papuan gathering,” 20 October 2011,
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/forwarded-news/AHRC-FAT-055-2011/?searchterm=
Asian Human Rights Commission, “Indonesia: one person killed, hundreds arrested, and five persons charged with rebellion at the Third Papuan People’s Congress,” 20 October 2011,
East Timor and Indonesia Action Network, “Congressman Faleomavaega calls upon government of Indonesia to ensure safe and humane treatment for West Papuans in custody and to work for their release,” 21 October 2011,
http://www.etan.org/news/2011/10faleo.htm
Human Rights Watch, “Indonesia: independent investigation needed into Papua violence,” 27 October 2011,
http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/10/28/indonesia-independent-investigation-needed-papua-violence
Jakarta Globe, “Dozens injured as Papua group declares independence from Indonesia,” 19 October 2011,
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/dozens-injured-as-papua-group-declares-independence-from-indonesia/472697
Jakarta Globe, “At Papuan Congress, a brutal show of force,” 22 October 2011,
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/editorschoice/at-papuan-congress-a-brutal-show-of-force/473327
TAPOL, East Timor and Indonesia Action Network, West Papua Advocacy Team, “Indonesian crackdown on Papuan Congress sparks outrage,” 20 October 2011,
http://www.etan.org/etanpdf/2011-13/TAPOL%20WPAT%20ETAN%20Crackdown%20sparks%20outrage.pdf
Video : Metro TV, “Polisi Buru Peserta Kongres Pendirian Negara Papua,» 19 October 2011, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eB_lHvxGdg
Last updated : 4 Januari 2013 Gat Wenda adalah seorang anggota Penjaga Tanah Papua (PETAPA), suatu organisasi keamanan masyarakat adat. Dia juga ikut berpartisipasi dalam organisasi untuk Kongres Rakyat Papua III pada Oktober 2011 yang berujung kepada penangkapannya atas tuduhan makar.
Kongres Rakyat Papua III diadakan pada tanggal 17–19 Oktober 2011 dan dihadiri oleh lebih dari 4,000 peserta. Kongres ini berlangsung di Lapangan Zakeus milik misi katolik Padang Bulan yang terletak berdekatan dengan Ibukota propinsi, Jayapura. Bendera “Bintang Kejora” dikibarkan dalam acara tersebut. Menurut Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), sekitar 2,200 anggota TNI dan Brimob (Brigade Mobil) berada disekitar lokasi acara. Sedikitnya 100 anggota penjaga keamanan dilaporkan mengelilingi lokasi acara dengan mobil polisi, mobil-mobil berlapis baja dan senjata api, sedangkan peserta acara hadir tanpa bersenjata.
Pada tanggal 19 Oktober 2011, sekitar pukul 14:00 waktu setempat, deklarasi politik tentang mampunya rakyat Papua untuk berdiri sendiri dibacakan oleh Bapak Yaboisembut dan Bapak Waromi, yang sebelumnya telah dipilih sebagai presiden dan perdana menteri Negara Federasi Papua Barat.
Setelah pendeklarasian, kongres berakhir dan para peserta mulai bubar dan kembali ke tempat masing-masing. Aparat keamanan mulai menembakkan senjata api diudara dan dilaporkan menggunakan gas air mata kepada para peserta yang hendak bubar sambil memukuli mereka. Kejadian ini meninggalkan lusinan orang terluka. Sekitar 300 peserta ditangkap dan dibawa ke tahanan dengan truk-truk aparat namun sebagian besar kemudian dibebaskan. Video rekaman acara tersebut, yang diterima oleh LSM Down to Earth dan Tapol, memastikan bahwa tidak sedikit tembakan dilepaskan aparat keamanan dan bahwa para peserta dipukuli.
Bapak Wenda ditahan beserta empat anggota lain yang merencanakan Kongres tersebut; Forkorus Yaboisembut, Edison Waromi, Dominikus Sorabut, dan August Makbrawen Sananay Kraar. Pada tanggal 20 Oktober, Selpius Bobii, Ketua Kongres, menyerahkan diri kepada polisi.
Meskipun kelima orang lain dituduh dengan pasal 106 untuk maker, Wenda ditutuh dengan UU 12/1951 untuk pemilikan senjata tajam, dan dihukum lima bulan di dalam penjara. Wenda dibebaskan tanggal 15 Maret 2012 karena masah tahanan hamper sama dengan vonis. Lima laki-laki yang lain divonis dengan tiga tahun di penjara.
Sumber-sumber
Amnesty International, “Indonesia: release participants of peaceful gathering in Papua,” 20 October 2011,
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA21/033/2011/en/5eb8e86b-1945-4f87-8ef2-d9c7022e7985/asa210332011en.pdf
Asian Human Rights Commission, “Security forces open fire at the Third Papuan People’s Congress,” 19 October 2011,
INDONESIA: Security forces open fire at Third Papuan People’s Congress
Asian Human Rights Commission, “Troops open fire on Papuan gathering,” 20 October 2011,
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/forwarded-news/AHRC-FAT-055-2011/?searchterm=
Asian Human Rights Commission, “Indonesia: one person killed, hundreds arrested, and five persons charged with rebellion at the Third Papuan People’s Congress,” 20 October 2011,
East Timor and Indonesia Action Network, “Congressman Faleomavaega calls upon government of Indonesia to ensure safe and humane treatment for West Papuans in custody and to work for their release,” 21 October 2011,
http://www.etan.org/news/2011/10faleo.htm
Human Rights Watch, “Indonesia: independent investigation needed into Papua violence,” 27 October 2011,
http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/10/28/indonesia-independent-investigation-needed-papua-violence
Jakarta Globe,“Dozens injured as Papua group declares independence from Indonesia,” 19 October 2011,
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/dozens-injured-as-papua-group-declares-independence-from-indonesia/472697
Jakarta Globe, “At Papuan Congress, a brutal show of force,” 22 October 2011,
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/editorschoice/at-papuan-congress-a-brutal-show-of-force/473327
Tapol, East Timor and Indonesia Action Network, West Papua Advocacy Team, “Indonesian crackdown on Papuan Congress sparks outrage,” 20 October 2011,
http://www.etan.org/etanpdf/2011-13/TAPOL%20WPAT%20ETAN%20Crackdown%20sparks%20outrage.pdf
Video : Metro TV, “PolisiBuruPesertaKongresPendirian Negara Papua,» 19 October 2011,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eB_lHvxGdg
Di update: 4 Januari 2013