WPNews, Jul 1, 2004, 09:50
PRESS RELEASE: OPM Denies Involvement in Freeport Killings
West Papuan People's Representative Office
P.O. Box 1571, Port Vila, Republic of Vanuatu
Port Vila, Vanuatu, June 29, 2004
Against strong evidence to the contrary, Jakarta and Washington are now attempting
to place direct responsibility on the OPM for the murder of two American civilians and
the wounding of eleven others, in 2002, near the US owned Freeport gold and copper
mine in the disputed Indonesian province of West Papua. The OPM believes this is a
blatant cover-up.
The primary motive behind the indictment is to provide justification for the restoration
of military ties between the present US Administration and tne new Indonesian
Government under the anticipated presidency of General Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono,
after they were suspended following the TNI's brutal support of militias in East Timor.
The present actions of the US Attorney-General represent the second time that the
US has abandoned the West Papuan people, sacrificing them on the altar of
international "realpolitik". The first time was under the Kennedy Administration of
forty-two years ago when the New York Agreement handed West Papua over to the
Indonesians as a way of appeasing the Sukarno regime which was, at that time,
flirting with the Soviet bloc.
Even UN personnel have since discredited the so called "Act of Free Choice" in 1969
which the UN supervised to rubber stamp Indonesia's annexation of West Papua.
The OPM have made their position clear that the OPM has not been involved in the
killing of innocent civilians, whether Americans or otherwise. Earlier investigations
made by the local Police Chief, Brigadier Pastika and the FBI, have shown strong
evidence that the Indonesian military were directly involved in the killings. This view is
shared by the surviving victims themselves.
We, as representatives of the OPM and of the West Papuan people, have condemned
this incident as a crime against humanity. The alleged perpetrator, Mr Antonius
Wamang, an ethnic Papuan, has never been an operational commander of the OPM.
He has, however, been a suspected member of Cassowary Force, a Pro Jakarta
Papuan Militia, set up by the TNI. Wamang has been observed to fly regularly
between Papua and Jakarta for meetings with the Indonesian military. He has also
been involved in the sandalwood trade in partnership with TNI. The TNI has a long
history of supporting proxy militias in East Timor and West Papua. We vehemently
deny any link between the OPM and this person.
Any attempt by the US Government to blame the OPM for the Freeport killings or
label it a Terrorist Organization is not only wrong, but counter productive, considering
that it is TNI/ Kopasus Forces who are protecting and training Islamic terrorist
organisations such as Laskar Jihad.
The OPM is studying it's own intelligence reports suggesting the presence of Al
Qaeda cells already operating in West Papua. The OPM has in the past warned
Canberra, Port Moresby and Washington about the build up of Islamic terrorist
organizations in West Papua.
We call upon the friends of West Papua in the United States, especially in the US
Senate, to urge the Attorney-General to carry out further investigations into the
incident in order to arrive at the truth.
We agree with the assessment made by Edward Mc Williams, a former senior US
diplomat to Jakarta who has said: "If we go after the Free Papua Movement, we are
basically conspiring in a cover-up".
For detailed information, please contact
Dr. John Ondawame,
OPM International Spokesman on: +678 42601
© Copyright 2003-2004 by watchPAPUA
|
