Yosepha Alomang, also known as Mama Yosepha, is a Papuan woman who inspired many people because of her mettle to defend human and environmental rights in Papua. She gained international recognition as the winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2001 for organizing resistance to the world’s largest gold mining operation, promoting traditional cultures, collective action and the well-being of indigenous peoples.
Among Yosepha’s protests against Freeport Indonesia, was an attempt to bring some benefits to local people. Assisted by the church, Yosepha and several other women set up a cooperative to market their fruit and vegetables. But, instead of buying their fruits and vegetables from local people, Freeport imported these goods from outside Papua and flew them into Timika airport. So Yosepha and the women planned a way of drawing Freeport’s attention to their group by destroying the imported fruit and vegetables.
In 1991, Yosepha lighted fires on the airfield during a three-day demonstration at Timika airport to protest against the refusal by Freeport and the Indonesian government to listen to local people’s concerns and against the continuing ill-treatment of Papuans. In the next three years, Yosepha was arrested on suspicion of helping Free Papua Movement fighter, Kelly Kwalik. She was locked in a human feces container for a week, with another Papuan woman, Mama Yuliana. In 1996, Yosepha launched a civil lawsuit against the world’s largest gold and copper mine company, Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. in the US, suing the company for personal injury and environmental damages. She also set up YAHAMAK, the Foundation Against Violence and for Human Rights, using money from the Yap Tham Hien human rights prize, awarded to her in 1999. Its purpose was to continue the struggle for human rights in Timika.
“You could say I am not like other women. I speak up and fight. Never mind if my Indonesian isn’t very good. I convey what I feel as a woman. And I think that my attitude and my struggle represent the attitude and experience of women in Papua every day. I can’t turn back now.” – Yosepha Alomang.
In the end, her brave campaigns against Freeport were successful—the company decided unilaterally to award Yosepha funding for her work. Freeport also announced that it would give her $248,000. An agreement was signed under which Freeport funded the construction of the Yosepha Alomang Complex—consisting of a clinic, meeting hall, orphanage and human rights violations monument—then used by YAHAMAK for its programmes.
