The Jakarta Post, January 15, 2006
Suspects in Timika killing moved to Jakarta
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura
Eight men arrested in connection with the murder of two American teachers and their
Indonesian colleague in Papua over three years ago have been flown to Jakarta for
further questioning, Albert Rumbekwan, one of their lawyers, says.
They were flown on Saturday at 4 p.m. Papuan time on a Fokker 50 airplane
belonging to the National Police under the the escort of men from Papuan Police
Detachment 88, after being transferred by helicopter from police headquarters here to
Sentani Airport.
The police were forced to transport the suspects by helicopter as the road to the
airport was blocked by hundreds of angry protesters, who were against the transfer.
Albert said the suspects' lawyers were also against the move, which was "not done in
the open", despite assurances from Papua Police chief of crime investigation Sr.
Comr. M. Situmorang to the contrary.
"We feel we are being cheated as the police moved them without informing us," Albert
told The Jakarta Post.
The suspects were transported overland to Trikora Military District Command
headquarters before boarding the helicopter.
During the rally, the protesters grouped in the United Front for the Struggle of the
West Papuan People, blocked the road in front of Cendrawasih University, demanding
the eight be questioned in Jayapura and tried in Timika, where the incident happened.
"Why should the police move the suspects to Jakarta if they can be tried in Papua?"
Selpius Bobii, secretary-general of the front, asked.
The teachers were returning from a picnic on Aug. 31 2002, when their convoy was
ambushed near the Grasberg mine in Timika, on a road owned by PT Freeport
Indonesia. Two hundred rounds were fired in the attack, killing the American teachers
-- Rickey Lynn Spier and Leon Edwin Burgonn -- and Indonesian Bambang Riswanto.
Eleven others were injured, mostly Americans.
Through tough negotiations with Jayapura Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Paulus
Waterpauw and Jayapura District Military Commander Lt. Col. CHB Viktor Tobing, the
protesters agreed to disperse if Paulus signed a statement calling off the transfer.
Before the statement was delivered, however, the suspects had left for Jakarta.
"We were cheated," Albert reiterated.
Meanwhile, Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Tomy Tider Jacobus said the transfer would
speed up the investigation, which had been hampered by the departure of many
witnesses from Papua, some of whom returned to the United States.
Situmorang said the eight suspects would be treated well and returned to Papua upon
the completion of the legal process.
The team of lawyers is expected to travel to Jakarta as the Papuan Police chief has
given them three plane tickets.
Antonius Wamang, the main suspect in the killings, and 11 other members of the
separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) were arrested on Wednesday in an operation
involving officers from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Four have been released by the police while the other eight suspects, including
Wamang, have been officially named suspects.
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