LAKSAMANA.Net, September 2, 2002 09:32 PM
Independence Movement Condemns Killings
September 2, 2002 09:32 PM
Laksamana.Net - Full text of the Papua Presidium Council's reaction to the killing of
two Americans and one Indonesian at the Freeport gold and copper mine in Papua
province. Via the Joyo Indonesia News Service.
Presidium Dewan Papua (PDP)/Papua Presidium Council
September 1, 2002
PDP-statement: Condemning attack on civilians in Timika on August 31, 2002
On behalf of the people of West Papua, the Presidium Dewan Papua (PDP -Papua
Presidium Council) expresses its grave sorrow and sincere regret over the incident
that took place in Timika at the PT Freeport Indonesia Mining Area. In the incident
three innocent civilians (two Americans and one Indonesian) were killed and fourteen
injured (among whom 7 Americans and 5 Indonesians).
We offer our sincere condolences and feelings of deep sympathy to the family,
relatives and friends in the United States of America, Indonesia and Australia for the
loss of their loved ones. We do hope that the injured ones will soon recover from this
horrific happenings.
We, the people of Papua cannot accept, and we will continue to resist to accept, the
loss of lives of innocent civilians and we condemn this brute inhuman action against
civilians.
Since the Second Papua Peoples' Congress (June 2000) the people of Papua have
called upon the Indonesian government to create a Peace Zone of Papua. Under the
leadership of PDP the people of Papua have called upon the Indonesian government to
be engaged in an open peaceful political dialogue to settle the dispute over West
Papua. The lack of political will from the central government has contributed to an
increasing hostile atmosphere in West Papua allowing negative elements to create
more disturbances.
Provincial Military Commander Maj. Gen. Mahidin Simbolon accused a faction of the
Free Papua Organization (OPM) led by Kelly Kwalik of the attack on August 31,
2002. However, the killing of foreign nationals has never been the policy of Papuans
promoting their political aspirations.
Even before the present Papuan policy of non-violence and the quest for a peaceful,
democratic and political dialogue concerning the Indonesian-Papuan conflict, the
armed wing of the liberation movement never attacked or killed foreign nationals as a
strategy to gain international attention.
Despite many speculations and accusations it is important to be guided by facts and
arguments rather than emotions. We call upon all parties to not hastily jump to
conclusions regarding this tragic incident.
The Dewan Presidium Papua calls for an independent, credible, international
investigation team - also including OPM-commander Kelly Kwalik, PDP, Indonesian
government (Police and TNI-Army) and Freeport - to find the perpetrators and the one
who gave the orders, and to investigate the motivation, background and
sphere/condition behind this criminal attack.
Instead of welcoming the call for a peaceful dialogue and a peace zone, the
Indonesian government and army are embracing a policy of continued repression. In
March of this year, the Indonesian Military deployed over 4,300 reinforcement troops
in West Papua to "maintain security and order" in the province. The government also
allows militia (Laskar Jihad, Laskar Merah-Puti) and other criminal elements to enter
West Papua. The current Operasi Adil Matao conducted by the Police – is
contributing again to this climate of increasing violence.
The Indonesian Army and Police are justifying their massive presence by pointing at
the presence of the OPM even though the OPM has declared and honored a
cease-fire since the Second Papua Peoples' Congress in June 2000 and supports the
policy of peaceful dialogue. Under the leadership of PDP and Kelly Kwalik, the
Papuans have refrained from any direct armed confrontation with the Indonesian Army
and with Freeport Security.
It is becoming more and more evident that the Indonesian security forces are involved
in creating provocations and instigating violence. An attack on foreign nationals
(Americans and Australians) and on Freeport and consequently blaming the OPM is
on the one hand an effort to discredit the OPM as a terrorist organization and on the
other hand a warning for the Freeport Company that it cannot operate without the
protection of the Indonesian army. In its efforts to eliminate the people's movement
under the leadership of PDP, Indonesia hopes to get the US and Australia on their
side under the umbrella of eliminating
terrorism.
Two weeks ago, Maj. Gen. Mahidin Simbolon, chief of the Trikora Military Command
overseeing Papua, ordered soldiers not to be scared of committing human rights
abuses when quelling separatism in the province.
"We must kill as many of our enemies as possible. Human rights are something we
must not worry about but must consider," he told a group of soldiers returning to North
Sumatra from Papua.
The discovery of secret documents (e.g. Operasi Adil Matoa -June 2000, now under
operation) clearly indicates the intention of the Army and Policy to crackdown on any
civil movement that is upholding principles of human rights and self-determination.
West Papua's police chief Made Mangku Pastika described the operation Adil Matoa
as a 'juridical' action to examine a number of things in Papuan society. For instance,
there are many questions about the Papuan Presidium Council (PDP). What is it, is it
lawful or not, is it a legitimate organization? If it is not legal then what should be
done? Should it be allowed to remain in existence or should it be banned?
(Cendrawasih Pos, 2 July 2002). With the recent mysterious killings of Papuans in
various parts of West Papua and with the open accusations on the address of PDP,
the hunting season seems to be declared OPEN.
It is this build-up of psychological warfare with the people of Papua that has allowed
"unidentified elements" to disrupt all attempts to build a peaceful society in Papua.
The call of the West Papuans for the withdrawal of all non-organic military personnel
has been rejected by Jakarta. The call for the creation of a Peace Zone has also been
turned down by Jakarta.
Apparently the Indonesian government, the Army and Police are solely interested in
their own vision and mission: to remain united by force!
The half-heartedly granted Special Autonomy for West Papua leads to more unrest
because the security forces (notably Kopassus) fear a decline in revenues from their
economic activities (e.g. illegal logging, smuggling of birds of paradise, protection of
foreign companies).
The unsolved killings of Papuan leaders (Theys Hiyo Eluay - chairman of PDP, Yafeth
Yelemaken - PDP-panel Wamena, Erick Lasarus Wanggabus - PDP-panel Faffak,
Martin Onde - OPM leader in Merauke), the arrest of Wenda, chairman of Demak, the
mysterious killings on the island of Biak and the continuous hunt on the OPM are
signs of intensified military activity. The military and police operations are aimed at
discrediting the liberation movement and its democratic representatives and at
intimidating the people to remain under the Unitarian State of the Republic of
Indonesia (with no guarantees for security of life!) – the NKRI (Negara Kesatuan
Republik Indonesia). The existence of the OPM, the longstanding voice of the
aspirations of the Papuans, is used in order to legitimate the Indonesian army's
provocation for an open conflict instead of engaging in a genuine dialogue.
As long as the Indonesian government, the Army and Police refuse to have a dialogue
with the Papua leadership the climate of hostilities will prolong. It is therefore crucial
to get the perpetrators to trial (something difficult to be dealt with in present Indonesia)
and the facts behind this tragedy rather than allowing the mysterious elements to
continue in their efforts to create a sphere of insecurity and destabilizing Papua.
It is for these reasons that the PDP on behalf of the people of West Papua is calling
on all parties not to jump too quickly to accusations and conclusions and rather
support a thorough, independent and transparent investigation.
No Dialogue means no Peace, no Security and no Progress.
Presidium Dewan Papua (PDP) / Papua Presidium Council
1 September 2002
Willy Mandowen Viktor Kaisiëpo Msn
International Moderator Member and Representative for Europe
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