Sydney Morning Herald, June 1 2002
West Papua fears arrival of militant Muslims
By Craig Skehan, Foreign Affairs Correspondent
At least four boatloads of Muslim migrants - including many members of the militant
Laskar Jihad - had arrived during the past week in the restive Indonesian province of
West Papua, independence activists said yesterday.
This coincided with reports that 150 hardened Indonesian special combat troops were
being dispatched to West Papua from the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Elements of the Indonesian military have been accused of backing the Laskar Jihad
(Holy War Fighters), which during the past two years has been involved in bloody
attacks on Christians in Maluku and Central Sulawesi provinces.
Growing numbers of Laskar Jihad in West Papua threaten communal clashes with the
largely Christian indigenous population.
"This is being overseen and organised by the Indonesian Army," said Greg Polgrain, a
lecturer at the University of Queensland. "They are nearly all young men, not
transmigration families.
"I am informed there are members of the Laskar Jihad in each group."
Dr Polgrain estimated that between 4000 and 7000 Muslim migrants, with a
substantial Laskar Jihad component, were arriving in West Papua weekly.
"Laskar Jihad are training with arms and that is pretty serious," he said.
Dr Polgrain visited the province this month and is in regular contact with human rights
and church groups there.
A pro-independence pastor, Martin Luther Wanma, yesterday sent a letter from
Sorong, in far east of West Papua, to supporters in Australia expressing fear for his
safety.
Thousand of Muslim migrants have arrived in Sorong since February.
Pastor Wanma said in his letter that he had been told by a senior police officer that
action was planned against him: "The main reason for my imminent arrest is my
objection to the Laskar Jihad coming to West Papua. As a human being I would like
to inform you in Australia that I am in great danger."
Obet Rawar, from the human rights group Elsham, based in the capital of West
Papua, Jayapura, said last night that new evidence was being collected on Indonesian
special forces troops being used to establish pro-Jakarta militias.
He said it had been confirmed there were now eight Pakistani Muslim militants in
Sorong involved in weapons training of Indonesian Muslim militants.
There have been unconfirmed reports that a small number of West Papuan Muslims
are involved.
Recently, the United States ambassador to Indonesia travelled to Irian Jaya on a
fact-finding mission on issues including the allegations of links between the
Indonesian military and the Laskar Jihad.
He was accompanied by US military personnel.
Official and spontaneous migration over many years means Muslims comprise nearly
half of West Papua's 2.5 million population. Previously the overwhelming majority were
Christians and animists.
Logging interests, some closely connected elements of the military and the
Soehartos have been accused of backing West Papuan anti-independence forces.
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