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Police name five treason suspects in Papua

Jakarta Post - April 17, 2015

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Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Papua Police detectives have named five people as treason suspects for their alleged involvement in activities aimed at separation from the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

The five were charged with violations against articles 106, 108 (2), 53 (1) and 55 (1) of the Criminal Code on treason, which carry a penalty of life imprisonment, or 20 years in prison at the minimum.

The five were identified only by the initials of EA, who is the chief of the so-called West Papua Federal Republic (NFRPB) police; MJS, the commander of the Papua task force's Sentani region and secretary of the Papuan Independence Committee (KIP); DF, the spokesperson of the KIP; LM, the chairman of the KIP; and OB, the spokesperson of the NFRPB.

"After an investigation was conducted, the five were considered to have committed treason," Papua Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Rudolf Patrick said in Jayapura, Papua, on Thursday. All five suspects were detained at the Papua Police's headquarters.

From the suspects, the police also seized NFRPB police uniforms and documents on a meeting between the KIP and the Indonesian defense minister. The meeting was said to be a follow-up to a negotiation offer between the Indonesian and NFRPB governments.

"The KIP itself was established by NRFPB president Forkorus Yoboisembut," Rudolf said, adding that the five suspects conducted activities on behalf of the NFRPB.

The five suspects were arrested at the Theys Hiyo Eluay hall in Sentani on Tuesday, moments after they arrived from Jakarta on board a Batik Air flight. They were about to give a press briefing when they were arrested.

The KIP, according to Rudolf, was tasked with negotiating with the Indonesian government with regard to offers as mentioned in the documents seized by the police.

The NFRPB was declared on Oct. 19, 2011 during the Papua People's Congress (KRP) III held at Zakheus Abepura Square, Papua, in which Forkorus was elected as president and Edison Waromi as prime minister.

The KRP III ended in a riot, killing six people. At least 51 other people were arrested by the Papua Police, which dispersed the meeting citing treason in proclaiming a country in a country.

Separately, Eni Tan, who was among the delegation in Jakarta, said that in Jakarta, the KIP team met with Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu on April 10.

Eni, who was also the facilitator of the meeting, said that the Defense Ministry paid for the team's transport and accommodation while in the capital. She also said the team handed over a document to the defense minister and that both agreed to have further meetings.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/04/17/police-name-five-treason-suspects-papua.html.