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Media statement on Timika shootings

Papuan Presidium Council - September 1, 2002

In a statement issued today by Messrs Willy Mandowen, Victor Kaisiepo and Clemens Runawery on behalf of the people of West Papua, the Papua Council Presidium and its interim Chairman, Mr. Tom Beanal, and Mr. Franzalbert Joku, International Affairs Moderator categorically deny the OPM’s involvement in the fatal killing of American and Indonesian civilians on the road between the mining township of Timika and Grasberg mine.

Our informant in Timika advised us that the incident took place between km 62 and km. 64 – a Kopassus Command is stationed between these two spots. He further advised us that the perpetrators carried out the shooting while driving a vehicle. The OPM rebels do not have vehicles to operate along the road. Two key American witnesses (Lynn Poston and Steven Emma) according to our informant are now in safe hand apparently in Australia.

"This Kopassus/Kostrad orchestrated act either directly or indirectly was aimed at (i) discrediting the Free Papua Movement (OPM) in general and in particular the Papua Council and its Presidium which had been given a mandate by the people to spearhead the freedom path through non-violent means including negotiation with Indonesia, USA and the Netherlands and others, and (ii) legitimizing TNI’s key role and back-up of the Police operations code named ‘Operasi Adil Matoa’ now underway in West Papua. These actions are well calculated and coordinated ", the trio said.

"We have sound and amicable relations and understanding with the American people in general and their Government in particular. In fact right now our Secretary General of the Papua Council Presidium is in USA at the invitation of the US Government for talk. Papuans wouldn’t do such a stupid thing to spoil that relationship" added the trios.

"On behalf of Mr. Beanal, we condemn in the strongest terms possible this cowardice act and offer our sincere condolence and deep feelings of sympathy and bereavement to the and friends in the USA, Indonesia, Australia for the loss of their loved ones.

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 inhumane 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, Barisan Merah-Putih) and other criminal elements to enter West Papua.

The current Operasi Adil Matoa 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 support 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, Willem 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.

September 1, 2002

Signed: Willy Mandowen (Internal/International Mediator),Viktor Kaisiëpo Msn (Member and Representative for Europe),Clemens Runawery (Member and Representative for Pacific)

Presidium Dewan Papua

Jln. Guru No. 64 Kotaraja, Telp/Fax: 0967. 582411 Jayapura
E-mail : westpapua@jayapura.wasantara.net.id

Port Moresby Address: PO Box 866 BOROKO, NCD, Port Moresby – Papua New Guinea
Telephone: (675) 3112184 E-mail: wapupi@datec.net.pg, saweri@datec.net.pg