Report About the Visit of an Indonesian Naval Officer to Papua
The following report was received from the Executive-Director of LP3BH, Yan Christian Warinussy
Monday 15 July 2013
At 11am, someone came to see me who said that he wanted to meet an official of Belantara Papua (This could be translated
as the 'Papuan Jungle') He was riding on a motorbike which he parked in front of the office. Because the front door was
closed, he went to the back of the house and opened a side door and shouted: 'There's someone here who wants to meet
you.'
When this person entered the office, I was in a room which is where children play together (singing and painting) When I
heard my son calling, I went up to him together with the visitor who was now standing in the kitchen. When the fellow
greeted me, I responded to his greetings. I asked him who he wanted to see. He said that he had come from the naval base
in Sorong and wanted to meet some officials from Belantara Papua.
I asked him to leave the kitchen and enter the house through the front door, whereupon he left the kitchen and went to
the front door. I had meanwhile gone into the main room in the office and invited him to enter.
We shook hands and I asked him to sit down.
When I asked him where he was from, he said: 'I am a member of the Indonesian Navy in Sorong.and I want to meet someone
from the executive of Belantara Papua.'
When I asked him what he wanted, he said that he was hoping to meet someone from Belantara Papua and was hoping that it
would be possible for us to work together.
Then he went on to say the following:
'I know about Balantara from the Internet and I have been looking for its address for almost two weeks'
He then explained at great length how it was that he had met people an international organisation (CI) in Raja Ampat and
found out about its programme (Christian Thebu) He met the chairman of a civil society organisation (LMA Malamoi Silas
Kalami) and had also met Ferdiel from Yayasan Penyu Papua.
I asked him how long he had been working in Sorong, to which he replied: 'Only two weeks,' adding that he had just moved
here from Jakarta.
When we asked him whether he knew Abner Korwa, he said he had found out about Abner Korwa on the Internet and realised
that he was an environmental activist. When he asked us whether Abner Korwa was at the office, I told him that Korwa
does not work for Belantara but spends most of his time working at home
He then asked me whether I would introduce him to Abner Korwa. I said that I could but he was not here at the moment. He
then spoke at length about Belantara and their work with the local government and the security forces. As the discussion
proceeded, he asked me for the names of the executive members of Belantara and then asked me what my name was and I said
my name is Max Binur. He asked me what courses I was taking and I said I was doing a course about UNAMIN and its
administration. I also told him that there were five people on its staff.
He also wanted to know whether he could take part in discussions with Belantara and I said that he could if he wanted
to.
'And what about involving my friends from the Indonesian Navy,' he asked, to which I said by all means. But I said that
at the moment we were very busy doing our own work in the countryside which means that at present no one was here in the
office except the doorman.
He then asked me whether I could give him the names of the members of the executive committee of Belantara and their
photographs. I said, I'm sorry but I wont be able to do that until tomorrow. I said if he wants something official, I
could send hem to meet some people in the Indonesian Navy.
I ended the conversation at this point, explaining that I had to attend another meeting so I could only do this in a few
days time.
He then asked for my telephone number which I gave him and in exchange, he gave me his telephone number.
When I asked him what his full name was, he said Major Yandi, adding that he was a member of the Indonesian Navy in
Sorong.
---------------------
Intimidation
1. When a member of the Indonesian Navy wants to meet people, he should go to their the front door and if no one is
there, he should leave. 2. What happened was that after knocking at the door, he went next door to see whether anyone
was there but there was no one. 3. Major Yandi then asked for the names of the members of the executive committee of
Belantara so that he could take their photographs. This was during our discussion which lasted for about one hour. 4.
During the discussion, he said he would like to work together with Belantara on a joint business project in Katapop. 5.
During the discussion he mentioned the name of Labora Sitorus but the began to talk about something else. 6. He said he
had moved here from Jakarta two weeks ago and that he had met several NGOs. 7. One of his other tricks was to say that
he had come from Jakarta on a Pelita Air flight, but as far as I know, Pelita Airlines does not fly from Jakarta to
Sorong.
From all this, I draw the following conclusions:
1. In the last five years, no members of the security forces, either from the police or the army, have ever come to our
Belantara Office asking for the profiles and names of members of the Belantara executive committee. 2. I think that the
re-opening of the case of Labora Sitorus and the report in METRO TV in a newscast which was broadcast twice on the
REALITA Programme could all be part of the same scenario. 3. Since 12-13 July, I have been investigating the case of the
company BANGUN KAYA IRIAN which is located in Bagaraga Kampung, Kais, in the District of Wayer, Moswaren, the Region of
South Sorong. It was when I arrived home from the location on the next day 15 July) that a member of the security forces
visited me. 4. On my way home from South Sorong (Teminabuan) to the town of Sorong on Sunday evening, I took several
photos of timber which was piled up on the side of the road from Maladofok Kampung to Klamono. All along the road, there
were logs that were about to be transported. I stopped my car on the road, got out and took six photos of the logs that
were piled up. 5. I was also suspicious about the Bloody AIMAS case. 6. This is perhaps in connection with the appeal we
received from the Wawiyai people to assist them in fighting their case in Friwen, 7. It is also perhaps connected to the
exploitation of nickel in Yenbekaki Kampung, Raja Ampat.
These are some recent cases which I think are connected with the visit of Major YANDI of the Indonesian Navy although he
did not tell us anything. There may be other motives about which we know nothing.
Max Binur, Director of Belantara Papua
Finally, I want to make it clear that I am providing giving my name and identity card details. If any of these people
want to contact me, please do so as I am willing to discuss these matters with them.
But because I need to be careful about giving people details about my identity card number, I have decided to get a new
identity card so as to be able to communicate with people about matters of principle.
Thank you!
ENDS