Yance Mote is an activist who was involved with the West Papuan National Committee (Komite Nasional Papua Barat, KNPB), an organisation which notably organises mass demonstrations calling for a referendum on West Papua’s future. He was arrested for addressing one of these demonstrations, charged with treason, but later found guilty only of the lesser charge of incitement, for which he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
The first large demonstrations the KNPB organised were in 2008. Indonesian elections were to be held in 2009, so the KNPB organised a demonstration on 10 March of that year, demanding a referendum on West Papuan independence instead of participating in Indonesian elections. Although there were no arrests at the demonstration, some weeks later on 3 April, Serafin Diaz was arrested with Mako Tabuni as they descended from the passenger ship KM Labobar in Jayapura port. Local newspaper Cenderawasih Pos carried a report of the arrest, mentioning that in a press conference that day that the police had linked the arrests to the 10 March demonstration.
One hour later, according to a report by the Alliance for Democracy in Papua (Aliansi Demokrasi untuk Papua, ALDP), police conducted a raid on the compound of the Papuan Customary Council (Dewan Adat Papua, DAP). Here they arrested fifteen people. The ALDP report explains that since they were evicted from the area around Theys Eluay’s grave, young KNPB activists often gathered at the DAP compound. Fourteen of the men and women arrested were released the next day, but Yance Mote was held in prison and tried alongside Mr Tabuni and Mr Diaz. All three were charged with articles 106 and 160 of the Indonesian criminal code, which refer to treason and incitement.
According to the ALDP report, during the raid property and equipment belonging to DAP were broken and seized as evidence, including computers. Police also claimed to have found two firearms in a bag belonging to two women, which both they and the other arrestees repeatedly claimed never to have seen. Witness reports also suggest that the pistols may have been planted by police at the time. The two women were obliged to report regularly to the police station, but they were never tried.
Court documents made available by the Supreme Court give an outline of the case against the three men as it progressed through the different levels of the court system. Mr Diaz and Mr Mote were accused of having made speeches at the demonstration. The principal allegation against Mr Tabuni was that he had hired a taxi and installed a loudspeaker on its roof which was used to address the crowds. All three were eventually cleared of the treason charges, but sentenced to 18 months in prison for incitement.
In an obituary of Mr Tabuni, who was shot dead by security forces in June 2012, news portal Berita Satu reported that Mr Tabuni was released on parole on 28 January 2010 while an appeal was still pending in the Supreme Court, as the court had not issued an order for his continued detention. According to a submission by Human Rights Watch to a US government committee, as of September 2010 Mr Diaz and Mr Mote had also been released pending an appeal to the Supreme Court.
Sources
Alliance for Democracy in Papua,” Penggrebekan, penggeledahan, Penyergapan ataukah Sweeping ‘biasa’?,” 6 April 2009, http://andawat-papua.blogspot.com/2009/04/penggrebekanpenggeledahan-penyergapan.html
part 2: http://andawat-papua.blogspot.com/2009/04/penggrebekan-penggeledahan-penyergapan_08.html (hint text colour same as background colour: select text to read it)
Berita Satu (articles compiled and republised by Elsham Papua), “Pinang Terakhir Mako Tabuni,” 22 June 2012, http://www.elshampapua.org/index.php/31-profil/126-pinang-terakhir-mako-tabuni
Cenderawasih Pos, “2 Aktivis KNPB diringkus polisi,” 4 April 2009, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tribal-melanesia/message/4377
Mahkamah Agung Indonesia, 10 May 2010, decision, http://putusan.mahkamahagung.go.id/putusan/downloadpdf/0ee47218c3031a28095eac3dbe84fed0/pdf
Sophie Richardson, “Crimes against humanity: when will Indonesia be held accountable for deliberate and systematic abuses in West Papua?” Human Rights Watch, 22 September 2010 Yance Mote adalah seorang aktifis yang terlibat dalam Komite Nasional Papua Barat, KNPB, organisasi yang kerap mengkoordinasi demonstrasi besar–besaran menyerukan perlunya referendum untuk menentukan masa depan Papua Barat. Serafin ditahan karena memberikan pidato pada salah satu demonstrasi tersebut, dituduh melakukan makar, tetapi akhirnya dinyatakan bersalah atas tuduhan penghasutan, yang mengakitbatkan dirinya di penjara selama 18 bulan.
Demonstrasi besar pertama yang diorganisasikan KNPB diadakan pada tahun 2008. Pada waktu itu pemilihan umum Indonesia akan diadakan pada tahun 2009 mendatang, maka KNPB mengadakan demonstrasi pada 10 Maret 2008, menyerukan perlunya referendum untuk kemerdekaan Papua Barat daripada ikut berpartisipasi dalam pemilu Indonesia. Walaupun tidak ada penangkapan pada saat demonstrasi berlangsung, beberapa minggu setelahnya, pada tanggal 3 April, Serafin Diaz dan juga Mako Tabuni ditangkap saat mereka turun dari kapal penumpang KM Labobar di bandar Jayapura. Warta berita setempat Cenderawasih Pos melaporkan tentang penangkapan tersebut, menyebutkan bahwa dalam konferensi press hari itu pihak kepolisian menyangkutkan penahanan kedua pria tersebut dengan demonstrasi 10 Maret sebelumnya.
Satu jam setelah itu, menurut sebuah laporan oleh Aliansi Demokrasi untuk Papua, ALDP, pihak kepolisian melakukan penyergapan di areal Dewan Adat Papua, DAP. 15 orang ditangkap. Laporan ALDP menjelaskan bahwa sejak mereka diusir dari areal makan Theys Eluay, para muda mudi aktifis KNPB kerap berkumpul dihalaman DAP. 14 Pria dan satu wanita ditangkap dan dilepaskan pada hari berikutnya, tetapi Yance Mote ditahan di penjara dan diadili bersamaan dengan Mako Tabuni dan Serafin Diaz. Ketiganya dikenakan pasal 106 dan 160 KUHP, yang mengacu pada kegiatan makar dan penghasutan.
Menurut laporan ALDP, selama penyergapan, segala barang–barang milik DAP dihancurkan dan disita untuk barang bukti, termasuk komputer mereka. Polisi juga menyatakan menemukan dua senjata api dalam tas wanita, yang menurut tertuduh dan semua yang berada disana belum pernah mereka lihat. Mereka berkali–kali menyatakan hal ini. Saksi mata juga menyebut bahwa senjata api tersebut diletakkan disana oleh pihak polisi pada saat itu. Kedua wanita tersebut lalu diwajibkan untuk melapor ke pos polisi secara teratur, tanpa disidangkan.
Dokumen–dokumen persidangan yang disediakan oleh Mahkamah Agung memberikan secara garis besar kasus ketiga pria sewaktu melewati berbagai tingkat pengadilan. Diaz dan Mote dituduh memberikan pidato–pidato pada saat demonstrasi berlangsung. Tuduhan utama terhadap Mako Tabuni adalah bahwa dia menyewa sebuah taxi dan memasang pengeras suara diatap taxi tersebut untuk menyampaikan pesan kepada para demonstran. Ketiganya akhirnya dibebaskan dari dakwaan makar tetapi dihukum 18 bulan penjara karena penghasutan
Dalam sebuah obituari untuk Tabuni, yang ditembak mati oleh pihak keamanan pada Juni 2012, warta berita Berita Satu menjelaskan bahwa Tabuni dibebaskan bersyarat pada tanggal 28 Januari 2010 selama menunggu bandingnya kepada Mahmamah Agung, karena pengadilan tidak mengeluarkan keputusan untuk menahan dia. Menurut laporan lainnya yang ditulis oleh Human Rights Watch kepada salah satu komite untuk pemerintah Amerika Serikat, sejak bukan September 2010 Diaz dan Mote juga telah dilepaskan menunggu banding mereka kepada Mahkamah Agung.
Sources
Alliance for Democracy in Papua,” Penggrebekan, penggeledahan, Penyergapan ataukah Sweeping ‘biasa’?,” 6 April 2009, http://andawat-papua.blogspot.com/2009/04/penggrebekanpenggeledahan-penyergapan.html
part 2: http://andawat-papua.blogspot.com/2009/04/penggrebekan-penggeledahan-penyergapan_08.html (hint text colour same as background colour: select text to read it)
Berita Satu (articles compiled and republised by Elsham Papua), “Pinang Terakhir Mako Tabuni,” 22 June 2012, http://www.elshampapua.org/index.php/31-profil/126-pinang-terakhir-mako-tabuni
Cenderawasih Pos, “2 Aktivis KNPB diringkus polisi,” 4 April 2009, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tribal-melanesia/message/4377
Mahkamah Agung Indonesia, 10 May 2010, decision, http://putusan.mahkamahagung.go.id/putusan/downloadpdf/0ee47218c3031a28095eac3dbe84fed0/pdf
Sophie Richardson, “Crimes against humanity: when will Indonesia be held accountable for deliberate and systematic abuses in West Papua?” Human Rights Watch, 22 September 2010