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IRIAN JAYA (WEST PAPUA, NEW GUINEA): THE QUEST FOR INDEPENDENCE-April 20-April 30, 2000

THE RECORD
April 20-April 30, 2000

=======================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Militias in Irian Fwd: Article in Australian
Date: 4/30/00 5:15:49 PM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org (Admin)
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This article was in Saturday's Australian but not on
their web site - might
be interesting to you.

------------------------
Australian 29 April 2000. [not on web site]
West Papua in the grip of militia terror

Alastair McLeod reports from Jayapura on the rise of
Timor style militia in
West Papua.

West Papuans have emerged from the far west town of Fak
Fak with reports of
East Timorese style militia threatening and attacking
the local people.

In recent weeks 50 supporters of the movement for an
independent West Papua
have fled Fak Fak to the capital Jayapura in fear of the
newly formed Sargas
Merah Putih – the red and white militia.

Lazarus Wannaggahus, a spokesman for the group, said
that there were
striking similarities between the Fak Fak forces and the
East Timorese
militia.

"Like their brothers in East Timor, they intimidate and
attack us and wear
red and white colours of the Indonesian flag", he said.

Suspicions that the Indonesian army and police force
have been covertly
establishing militia groups in Fak Fak and Nabire have
been circulating in
the West Papuan independence movement for the past year.

Eyewitness reports and information gathered by the
Jayapura based human
rights group, Elsham, have now given credence to what
were once considered
rumours.

John Rumbiak, an Elsham coordinator, wrote to the UN
High Commissioner for
Human Rights, Mary Robinson, detailing abuses that have
occurred in West
Papua since the election of President Abdurrahman Wahid
in October 1999.

Following peaceful demonstrations and Papuan flag
raising ceremonies, at
least 4 people have been shot dead, 80 held and tortured
and 165 injured
over the past eight months, according to Elsham. The
militia stepped up
their activities after a meeting of 500 West Papuan
independence delegates
in late February, Mr Rumbiak said.

Elsham is tabling a report to the UN Commission for
Human Rights on the
events in Wayati, a village 5km from Fak Fak on March
19th and 20th. The
report says that a convoy of trucks carrying militia,
police and Indonesian
troops (TNI) arrived in Wayati singing the Indonesian
national anthem. The
police and militia then ransacked homes and witnesses
say militia men
urinated on their rice and other foodstuffs. Many
villagers ran to the
jungle to escape being attacked by the militia, who
were armed with
machetes and clubs.

"The police arbitrarily rounded up 66 men who were taken
to a nearby police
station and beaten and tortured," Mr Rumbiak said.

Andy Burdam, a 45 year old Papuan teacher at a Fak Fak
elementary school
gave a chilling account of his treatment by the militia
and police.

He and his family were about to sit down to their
evening meal when police
and militia entered his home, punched him and dragged
him away. Militia and
police took him to the local police station, where he
was put in a cell.
Militia men threw large stones at him while Indonesian
police looked on.
"They did nothing to stop them", he said.

He was held for four days by the police who continually
punched and kicked
him in the chest, head and back. "They hit my head
against the wall many
times and I bled a lot. I felt sick and afraid", he
said.

Mr Burdam will not return to Fak Fak as he fears he may
be attacked again by
the police and militia, and his wife and four children
have left the town
and now live in the southern coastal town of Sarong.

Mr Rumbiak says that there is evidence the Fak Fak
militia are supported by
the police and army. "We believe that the army are
supporting the militia,"
he said. "But we can't investigate the situation in Fak
Fak because we have
received threats from the militia that if we go there
they will attack our
personnel".

[article accompanied by photo of Mr Burdam and three
friends from Fak Fak]

----- End forwarded message -----

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com

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Subj: LATimes: A Savage Dawn for West Papua's 'Morning Star'?
Date: 4/29/00 3:32:36 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

The Los Angeles Times
Friday, April 28, 2000

Comment

A Savage Dawn for the 'Morning Star'?

Indonesia: A West Papua independence declaration is likely to provoke new
bloodshed.

By DANA R. DILLON

Even before the blood is dry in East Timor, another secessionist crisis
looms in Indonesia. On May 1, Theys Hiyo Eluay, the self-proclaimed Great
Leader of the Papuan Nation, intends to declare an independent government of
West Papua and raise that nascent country's forbidden "Morning Star" flag.
This act of defiance to the Indonesian government, which is conducting a
major military buildup on the island it shares with Papua New Guinea, could
be more savage and protracted than East Timor's secession.

West Papua and East Timor were acquired as Indonesia's 26th and 27th
provinces during the expansion of "Greater Indonesia" initiated by Presidents
Sukarno and Suharto during the 1960s and 1970s. Thanks largely to the
tireless efforts of Portugal and Australia, East Timor's incorporation was
never endorsed by the international community. West Papua was not so lucky.

West Papua (or West Irian as it was known to the Dutch who colonized the
area) fell under Indonesian administration as part of a U.N.-sponsored deal
grossly misnamed the "Act of Free Choice." In accordance with the agreement,
Indonesia held a 1969 plebiscite widely recognized as a sham. Nevertheless,
the U.N. General Assembly approved the plebiscite and Indonesia renamed its
new territory Irian Jaya, or Irian Victory. Since then the Papuan people have
been subject to the same pacification operations the Indonesian military made
infamous in East Timor.

Eluay, the most prominent of West Papua's political leaders, began his
political career as a tool of Suharto's "New Order." He was one of the 1,000
delegates to the "Act of Free Choice." He continued his political career as a
member of the government's party, Golkar, and served as a member of the
provincial parliament. Eluay later recanted his 1969 vote and now speaks out
for Papuan independence. In October 1998, he was arrested for raising a
Papuan flag. When he was released in December 1999, he promptly raised
another flag.

Eluay and other Papuan leaders consider the time ripe for a break with
Jakarta. An all-Papuan congress was convened last week by Indonesian
President Abdurrahman Wahid. Eluay now is expected to declare an independent
government of West Papua. Unlike in East Timor, there are no Papuan leaders
willing to embrace a watered-down "autonomy" under Indonesian rule. Papuans
come in only two political stripes: those who want immediate independence and
those willing to postpone independence for a brief transition period.

This declaration of independence will meet fierce resistance from the
Indonesian military. The West Papua province is a cash cow for the Indonesian
army and national police, and they will be loath to give it up. Along with
their legal businesses in timber and mining, the military and police commit
as much as half of the illegal logging and poaching in the province.

The army and police are dramatically increasing their strength in the
province. Every source I interviewed spoke of the sharp rise in the number of
army and police units. In Jayapura, the provincial capital, I saw two of the
Indonesian navy's amphibious landing ships unloading equipment. The army and
police are unlikely to accede to Papuan independence, to heed calls for
discipline from Indonesian politicians or to respect human rights as demanded
by the international community. East Timor was rife with military crimes, but
even now in the restive province of Aceh, the military is conducting
"security operations" considered by many to be the worst in memory for naked
violence. If this is how the Indonesian military treats the Acehnese--who are
fellow Muslims, belong to the same Indo-Malay ethnic group and largely prefer
to remain a part of Indonesia--how much worse will it be for the Christian,
dark-skinned and independence-minded Papuans?

The humanitarian crisis in East Timor stretched thin the military
resources of Australia and New Zealand. A fresh crisis in the region could
require considerably more American support than the 200 military
communications specialists we provided in East Timor. The time to focus on
West Papua is now, before the slaughter begins.

- - -

Dana R. Dillon Is a Southeast Asia Analyst at the Heritage Foundation, a
Washington-based Public Policy Research Institute

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

===========================================================================

Subj: ABC Asia Pacific
Date: 4/28/00 4:03:49 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: tapol@gn.apc.org

>From AWPA

ABC -Asia Pacfic Program
(First broadcast 27/04/2000)

MURDER OF OPM LEADER RAISES FEARS OF
FACTIONAL VIOLENCE, WEST PAPUA

There are fears of violent clashes between factions
of the
West Papuan independence movement, the OPM following

the killing of a faction leader in Papua New Guinea.

Hans Bomai was attacked and killed by a group of men
in a
settlement near the PNG town of Vanimo on Tuesday,
his
brother was seriously injured.

Witnesses have told police that rival OPM faction
leader,
Mathias Wenda, was among the attackers some say he
delivered the fatal blows.

The motive for the killing is not clear, but there
are concerns it
will trigger a cycle of violence in areas close to
the Papua New
Guinea border.

DINNEN: Hans Bomai was the self-styled leader of the
OPM
western command. On Tuesday, he went with his
brother
Lego to Dasi settlement, near Vanimo town in
north-western
Papua New Guinea. It's understood they were
preparing to
travel to Jakarta for talks with Indonesian
authorities.

Witnesses at Dasi say an argument began, it turned
violent,
and Hans Bomai was attacked with knives and a
hammer. He
was pronounced dead a short time later at Vanimo
hospital.
His brother Lego was also attacked. He remains in a
serious
condition.

There are several versions of these events.
Indonesian
authorities say Hans Bomai was shot dead. Despite
the
variations, most accounts claim rival OPM faction
leader
Mathias Wenda was involved, he was either one of the

attackers, or the man who killed Hans Bomai.

The scene of the murder is just a few kilometres
from the
Indonesian border. Papua New Guinea police and
military
forces there are on alert, they're concerned the
killing may set
off a cycle of violence and retribution among West
Papuan
people living on the PNG side of the border, and
it's feared
people may attempt to cross the border from
Indonesia to be
part of any get-square attack.

Police have detained a number of people and have
questioned them about the killing. But so far, noone
has been
charged.

It's not clear why Hans Bomai was killed, but he had
no
shortage of enemies, even within the ranks of the
OPM. There
are those who thought Bomai was too hardcore, they
found
abhorrent his use of kidnapping, hostage-taking and
violence.

Others thought he was becoming more pro-Indonesian,
in the
hope of becoming Jakarta's preferred OPM leader and
a
contact point for negotiation.

The OPM has been fighting since 1963 against
Indonesian
control of West Papua, the former Dutch colony. The
perceived injustice of Indonesia's take-over, and
the brutal
force with which it ruled, were powerful uniting
influences for
the OPM membership, but the climate has changed.

Indonesia has shown, in East Timor at least, that it
is
prepared to relinquish territory. The people of West
Papua
expect, or hope that they'll be next.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

========================================================================

Subj: FEER/Intelligence: Paramilitaries Gear Up in West Papua
Date: 4/28/00 5:55:18 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Far Eastern Economic Review
Issue cover-dated May 4, 2000

INTELLIGENCE

PARAMILITARIES GEAR UP

Tensions are rising in West Papua, formerly known as Irian Jaya, because of
plans for separatist protests on May 1, the anniversary of Indonesia's
annexation of the territory. Demonstrators in Jayapura, Fak-Fak and other
towns have been instructed to take to the streets at 3 a.m. and circle each
town seven times. The action harks back to biblical days, when the Israelites
laid siege to Jericho. "Indonesia is our Jericho," separatist leader Theys
Eluay told the Review. Paramilitary groups of opposing political stripes have
also geared up for the protests. In Fak-Fak, police are backing a
pro-Indonesia vigilante group called Satgas Merah Putih, which is facing off
against the Satgas Papua, a pro-independence brigade formed by Theys that has
proliferated throughout West Papua over the last five months. Other
anticipated hot spots include Sorong, Nabire and Merauke. Rebels are also
finalizing their strategy for a political congress now scheduled for late May.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

==============================================================

Subj: PNG on alert after Irian Jaya rebel leader killed
Date: 4/28/00 4:04:23 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: tapol@gn.apc.org

from AWPA

Radio Australia 28/4/00

PNG on alert after Irian Jaya rebel leader killed

Papua New Guinea soldiers are on standby to assist
police in the event of violence,
following the killing of a senior Irian Jayan
independence activist.

Hans Bomai was killed with a hammer on Tuesday at
Vanimo, near the Indonesian border
in West Sepik Province.

The incident happened when two rival factions came
to blows at Dasi settlement, where
Irian Jaya guerrillas take refuge on the PNG side
of the border.

Provincial police chief Eugene Manguva says the
situation between the two groups is tense
and he's concerned that if the guerrillas escalate
the fight with firearms, his police
contingent might not be able to contain it.

He says police from East Sepik are on standby in
case of further trouble, and PNG Defence
Force soldiers at Vanimo are also on standby.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

=============================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] No Discrimination Against U.S. Companies, Minister Says (2
Date: 4/28/00 8:47:25 PM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org

articles)
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National News
No Discrimination Against U.S. Companies, Minister Says
Friday, April 28, 2000/2:00:22 PM
New York, April 28 (ANTARA)

Indonesia=92s environment minister has denied his government is
singling out US companies in its investigation of reckless companies
which harm the country=92s environment.

"There is no discrimination (against US companies). This is purely
an environmental issue. We will take stern measures against any
foreign company (found to be damaging Indonesia=92s environment),"
Sonny Keraf said here late Thursday.

Keraf was commenting on his government=92s move to investigate
accusations that the giant mining company, PT Freeport Indonesia,
has damaged the environment in and around its mining sites in
Indonesia=92s easternmost province of Irian Jaya.

Freeport Indonesia -- a subsidiary of New Orleans-based mining
giant, Freeport McMoRan -- has operated in Irian Jaya since 1973.

He said that based on the results of the investigation, to be
released in June, the government will decide whether or not to
review Freeport=92s contract to add new points to it.

The government does not intend to close Freeport, he said.

"We hope that Freeport could carry out its community development
program and pay more attention to the environment," the minister
added.

Various quarters in the country have held Freeport responsible for
damages inflicted on its mining sites.

An inspection team formed by Irian Jaya=92s provincial government had
discovered that tailings -- wastes from the company=92s mining
activities -- had damaged 13,300 hectares of forests in the region.

The team also alleged that Freeport has only reforested 125 hectares
with quick-yielding plants.

The Indonesian government has also been planning to close the US
mining company, PT Newmont Minahasa Raya, in North Sulawesi for
allegedly damaging the environment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Jakarta Post.com
Business News
April 29, 2000
No plan to shut down Freeport: Sonny

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Environment Sonny Keraf said the
government had no intention of closing down the copper and gold
mining operations of PT Freeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of American
mining giant Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold, in Irian Jaya.

He said the current criticism launched by many parties, including
the government, against the company merely pertained to the
environmental impact of its operations.

He also denied the government had a discriminative policy against
American companies.

"There isn't any discrimination. It (the criticism) is purely
concerning the environment, and is not related to its being an
American company ... We are always stern toward any foreign
companies as far as the environment is concerned," he was quoted by
Antara as saying at a meeting with Indonesian community in New York.

He said a joint team comprising officials from his office and the
Ministry of Mines and Energy was currently auditing the
environmental impact of the company's operation and its community
development programs.

The team was expected to finalize its audit by June, he said.

Freeport has been criticized by many parties for allegedly damaging
the surrounding environment and for paying less attention to the
promotion of the welfare of the local people.

An environmental audit on the company by independent consultant
Montgomery-Watson last year described Freeport's environmental
protection program as exemplary, but Sonny said the audit was
incomplete.

Sonny admitted that he had "a little problem" with Freeport
McMoRan's CEO Jim Bob Moffet.

Sonny said, days after his installment as minister, Moffet had asked
for a meeting but he turned down the request because he was not
knowledgeable enough about Freeport's case.

Moffet then went to see former state minister of investment and
state enterprises development Laksamana Sukardi for help to arrange
the meeting.

"At last I agreed to meet Moffet because it was my friend who asked
me to. But I'm not very fond of Moffet because he seems arrogant,"
Sonny said, adding the meeting was also attended by several
officials.

After the meeting, Sonny recalled, Moffet asked for a two-minute
t=88te-=85- t=88te with him but the request was rebuffed.

"I told him it was not needed, we had already talked (during the
meeting)," he said.

He said Moffet was disappointed and reported the case to the U.S.
ambassador in Jakarta, who then came to him and criticized the
Indonesian government for being apparently discriminative against
American companies such as Freeport and another mining company, PT
Newmont.

"I said there was no discrimination. We are stern with Freeport and
Newmont due to environmental concerns. We are going to do the same
thing with any other foreign companies as far as the environment is
concerned," he said. (cst)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com

NOTE: "IRJA.org Inc., the moderator/s and subscribers do not neccessarily
hold to or support the opinions and views expressed in these postings. They
are posted for their news/interest content. "

To unsubscribe send the message "unsubscribe Kabar-irian" (minus the
"parenthesis") to majordomo@irja.org

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===============================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Religious leader rejects plan for Irian Jaya casino=20
Date: 4/28/00 8:41:46 PM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
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Indonesian Observer
Saturday, April 29 - 2000
Religious leader rejects plan for Irian Jaya casino

JAKARTA (IO) =97 Investors from the US, Britain and Australia have
expressed their readiness to open a casino at Hotel Marauw in Irian
Jaya=92s Biak Numfor regency, but a local religious leader is strongly
opposed to the plan.

Jayapura Bishop Leo Laba is afraid the casino will make locals
behave like gamblers, rather than patriots who should develop their
culture, Antara reported yesterday.

=93The government only sees the benefits that it will get [from the
casino], rather than prioritizing the communal morality of the
Irianese,=94 said Laba.

Speaking at a seminar in the province=92s capital of Jayapura, the
bishop urged the government to consider the negative side-effects of
the proposed casino.

=93Don=92t just search for material gains without paying any respect to
the local traditions, because later on it will worsen the social
condition of the locals,=94 he warned.

Laba said the government could open the casino as long as it pays
attention to locals and helps them to maintain their traditions.

Local traditions and cultures are very influential in Biak, so they
should be thoroughly researched before any efforts are made to
establish the casino, he said.

The research should involve anthropologists, sociologists and
psychologists, who would examine how to protect natives and their
beliefs from gambling, he added.

=93The investors should not try to force away local traditions and
replace them with new ones, because that would definitely have a
negative impact on the community.=94

Laba expressed concern that the casino would attract prostitutes. He
said prostitution was initially unknown in Irian Jaya, but it is now
thriving in Jayapura because local religious leaders did not do
enough to keep out the sex industry.

Irian Jaya now has one of the highest incidences of HIV/AIDS in
Indonesia.

Laba said developers of the casino must seek advice from religious
leaders to ensure there will be no social problems.

=93If the local government doesn=92t trust the religious institutions
and traditions, then the results [of the casino] will not be enjoyed
by most community members, especially not the common people.
Ultimately it would create a crisis of trust in the government,=94 he
said.

Chris Williamson, representative of the foreign investors, on
Wednesday said they were ready to manage and operate the Hotel
Marauw Casino if the local government would grant them permission.

=93We wish to invest some US$200 million in marine tourism, including
the Marauw hotel, which is now still facing financial problems,=94 he
was quoted as saying by Antara.

=93To enable the hotel to operate as usual, we are offering ourselves
to manage and operate the hotel professionally, including opening a
casino,=94 he said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com

NOTE: "IRJA.org Inc., the moderator/s and subscribers do not neccessarily
hold to or support the opinions and views expressed in these postings. They
are posted for their news/interest content. "

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=================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN]=20
Date: 4/28/00 8:41:39 PM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
National News
93 New Animal Species Found In Irian Jaya
Friday, April 28, 2000/12:40:15 PM
Jayapura, Irian Jaya, April 28 (ANTARA)

Researcher of an international conservation agency, Yance de Fretes,
on Thursday announced the finding of 93 new animal species in Wapoga
and Sewa subdistricts, Yapen Waropen district in the Indonesian
province of Irian Jaya.

"The number (of new animal species) could increase as some
researchers continue to conduct research in the province," De Fretes
said after delivering a speech at the ongoing environmental
journalism training being held here.

He said the new species were found in reptiles, fish, ants, frogs
and dragonflies.

The training was organized by the non-governmental organization,
People=92s Awareness of Environmental Information, in cooperation with
the Irian Jaya chapter of the Reformasi Indonesian Journalists
Association, he said.

The training lasts until Sunday (April 30).

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com

NOTE: "IRJA.org Inc., the moderator/s and subscribers do not neccessarily
hold to or support the opinions and views expressed in these postings. They
are posted for their news/interest content. "

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=======================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Regional Minimum Wages To Be Determined By Provincial Govts
Date: 4/28/00 8:41:09 PM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org
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National News
Regional Minimum Wages To Be Determined By Provincial Govts, Says
Minister
Friday, April 28, 2000/12:23:16 AM
Semarang, Apr 28 (ANTARA)

With the enactment of the law on regional autonomy, the authority to
determine regional minimum wage standards will automatically devolve
into the hands of provincial administrations, Manpower Minister
Bomer Pasaribu said.

"Where manpower affairs are concerned, the law on regional autonomy
says that they will come under the jurisdiction of the provincial
governments," Pasaribu said here Thursday.

Therefore, he added, labour unions in the provinces, governors,
legislators and other parties concerned should adjust their thinking
about regional minimum wage matters to the new law.

"In short, the authority to fix the level of regional minimum wages
will in the near future lie with the provincial authorities," he
said.

But before actually handing over the authority in this matter to the
provincial governments, the central government would provide them
with a standardized guide on how to calculate minum regional wages.

"The provincial administrations are expected to abide by this common
guide," he said.

According to the minister, the standarized guide would among other
things prescribe that in determining a regional minmum wage level,
the provincial administration concerned must take into account the
basic needs of living in the province.

The basic needs of living in Java and Irian Jaya, for instance,
would lie at totally different levels. It would be for the
respective regional administrations to determine these levels, he
said.

"At present we can still tolerate a regional minimum wage level of
below 100 percent of the basic living needs. But in the future,
regional mimimum wages could reach 100 percent or more than 100
percent of the basic living needs," he said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com

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=======================================================

Subj: Fwd: W. Papuans want independence raised in Pacific regional body
Date: 4/27/00 1:43:53 PM Central Daylight Time
From: cscheiner@mindspring.com (Charles Scheiner)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
April 27, 2000
Source: Radio New Zealand International, Wellington, in English 0800

West Papua activists want issue raised in Pacific regional body

Activists fighting for the independence of the Indonesian province of
Papua, or Irian Jaya, want the issue discussed in the Pacific Islands Forum
[South Pacific Forum]. Delegates to a conference in Sydney over Easter
agreed to ask Australia to take a stronger stand in their behalf and
acknowledge the importance of regionalizing the issue. West Papuan exile
John Ondowame, who is now a Canberra-based academic and who organized the
conference, says the region has to take seriously the drive by the Papuans
for independence.

[Ondowame] We believe that West Papua, this is not a Papuan issue now but
is part of the Pacific issue. So what I mean (?with the regional issue), we
brought the issue into the hearts and minds of Pacific people. So in
practical terms the issue of West Papua must be discussed in the South
Pacific Forum. [End of recording] Mr Ondowame has previously indicated that
the West Papuan activists may ask New Zealand to intervene on their behalf
with Jakarta because of New Zealand's success in brokering the Bougainville
cease-fire [in Papua New Guinea].

=============================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN]re: OPM member Hans Bomai killed
Date: 4/27/00 10:06:19 AM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org (Admin)
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
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From: "Moses Werror"

To Whom It May Concern
-----------------------------------
Hans Bomai was one of the OPM Commanders under
the leadership of Mathias Wenda since OPMRC/OPM Military
council was established April 23,1983.

He was very active during those years. He commanded OPM
troops during the Imonda, Walsengra and Greenriver
clashes with
ABRI-Indonesian soldiers at the northern border of PNG
and W/Papua.

In the later years after he had been separated from
Mathias Wenda for
some reason then he started his own activities to
promote himself
as one of OPM commander. In some of his strategy
activities in
1998/1999 he arranged meetings with ABRI and once his
members
successfully went into Jayapura to talk with Indonesian
Military officers.

In the beginning this year he had been up and down
between
Vanimo and Scoutjau village in the border to talk to
some of his
members (PNG and WP) they sent a letter to the
Indonesian
President
Abdurrahman Wahid dated January 1, 2000 Port Numbay and
he was one of the signatures and also some of West
Papuans
who are living in PNG also signed the letter.

The contents of the letter was meaningless and at very
poor setting.
There was a reply letter from TNI/ABRI officer in Port
Numbay using
President names.

Before his death in last week he had a meeting with his
members
in Vanimo to arrange their visit to Port Numbay and
Jakarta to meet
the President as was decided at the meeting.

He should be remembered as an OPM fighter, commander and
very active member in the organization. He spent his
whole life
struggling inside Papua just for recognition from the
Indonesian
government.

Hans Bomai, thank you for your contribution to the
Papua national
struggle. Papuans from generation to generation will
remmember you
for what you have done, you are an OPM and Papua hero.

OPMRC Headquarter Madang PNG
April 27,2000

Moses Werror
Chairman

>
>

----- End forwarded message -----

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com

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=======================================================================

Subj: West Papua activist killed in Vanimo
Date: 4/26/00 2:55:20 AM Central Daylight Time
From: iris@matra.com.au (Anne Noonan)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org, iris@matra.com.au

The National (PNG) 26/4/00

West Papua activist killed in Vanimo

THE peaceful border town of Vanimo is reeling from yet another serious
crime within a week - this time the cold-blooded murder of a
pro-independence West Papuan activist yesterday morning.

Hans Bomai, the self-styled leader of the separatist OPM rebels' western
command, was attacked with knives and hammers at a settlement
near the town and died instantly from injuries to his head.

His brother, Lego Bomai, was also attacked but survived and was in a
serious but stable condition at the Vanimo General Hospital last
night.

Police have detained eight suspects in relation to the killing.

Official sources said last night that the Bomais had travelled to Vanimo
from their jungle hideout near Skotsio on the PNG-Indonesia
border to make arrangements to travel to Jakarta for talks on self-rule
for West Papua, formerly Irian Jaya.

The sources said the killing may be the result of an ongoing leadership
struggle within the OPM hierarchy.

Police are believed to be on their way to Skotsio to meet another OPM
leader Mathias Wenda whose men they believed had attacked the
Bomais yesterday.

Only last Tuesday, peace was shattered in the West Sepik provincial
capital when an armed gang attacked and raped an American tourist
on the resort island of Narimo.

Yesterday, the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority condemned the attack,
calling on the community, provincial authorities and police to
bring the attackers to justice.

PNGTPA acting chief executive Gard Renson said in a statement that the
attack was a cowardly act, carried out by senseless and selfish
individuals who had no place in their community.

Vanimo police have arrested three men in relation to the attack.

"It is yet another example of how a few individuals can just drag down
the many good years of hard work, tireless effort and money to
promote and market PNG as a potentially major tourist destination," said
Mr Renson.

"It's unfair on every other good and law-abiding Papua New Guinean who
has a genuine desire to embrace tourism. The majority of
Papua New Guineans are friendly, peaceful and hospitable and genuinely
want to welcome visitors into their communities and homes."

Mr Renson said Vanimo and West Sepik province had always been peaceful,
quiet and carefree and the isolated incident had spoilt that
image.

In terms of tourism development and growth, Vanimo was being looked at
positively because of its strategic location and proximity to
Indonesia and its potential as the gateway to South-east Asia.

=====================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] OPM rebel leader Bomai killed in brawl
Date: 4/25/00 8:58:29 PM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org (Admin)
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org
To: kabar-irian@irja.org

Too much mail? Try our digest version. Info available at
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from [Robin Hide ]

(Papua New Guinea) Post-Courier
News

Wednesday 26th April, 2000

OPM rebel leader Bomai killed in brawl
MEMBERS of the PNG Defence Force contingent in Vanimo,
West Sepik Province,
are on standby to help police deal with any fights that
might erupt between
OPM rebel groups on the PNG side of the border.
Provincial police chief Eugene Manguva confirmed
yesterday an OPM rebel
leader, Hans Bomai, had died from serious injuries in
PNG.
Bomai's body is at the Vanimo General Hospital morgue
and tension is high
between rival rebel groups in the area.
Mr Manguva alleged an argument, which resulted in
confrontation between two
OPM group leaders, happened yesterday morning.
He said during the confrontation an OPM leader picked up
a hammer and
attacked Mr Bomai, fatally injuring him.
Mr Manguva said Mr Bomai was taken to the Vanimo General
Hospital but was
pronounced dead on arrival.
He said the incident happened at Dasi settlement where a
mixture of people
from Indonesia and Papua New Guinea live. Another
supporter of Bomai was
seriously injured during the fight and is recovering at
the hospital.
He said with the limited resources police had, they
would also be providing
security for the Indonesian consulate in Vanimo.
He expressed concern that if the tense situation between
the rival groups
escalated with the use of firearms, his men would not be
able to contain
it.
He said he had spoken to the police headquarters and
confirmed that help
would come from East Sepik if there was a need.
However, he said the Defence Force soldiers at Vanimo
had been informed
about the situation and were on standby.
Mr Manguva said the OPM leader they suspected of
attacking Bomai had not
been caught.
He said they had made arrangements with a spokesman from
the suspect's side
to ask the leader to surrender at the Vanimo police
station.
When asked if the suspect would be charged under PNG
laws, Mr Manguva said
they would have to discuss that with Foreign Affairs
officials.
However, he said it was likely that after their
investigations they would
have to hand the suspect over to Indonesian authorities.
* Mr Manguva said the three suspects, who allegedly
raped an American
tourist, appeared in court yesterday morning charged
with one count of
armed robbery and one of rape. The men were identified
as Albert Kina, 18,
from Kambrindo village, East Sepik Province, Charlie
Markus, 20, from
Laingim village and Terence Anumbo, 23, of Warabu, both
in West Sepik
Province.
He said a fourth suspect, a vocational centre student,
would soon be
charged over the same allegations. Mr Manguva said
police had recovered
most of the personal property stolen by the suspects.

Go to the top

Copyright, 1999, Post-Courier Online. Use of this site
is governed by
our Legal Notice.

----- End forwarded message -----

===============================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Irianese remember entry into RI
Date: 4/25/00 2:43:24 PM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org

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Jakarta Post
Nusantara
April 26 2000

Irianese remember entry into RI

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Local residents will commemorate
the 37th anniversary of the transfer of sovereignty over
Irian Jaya from the Netherlands to the Republic of
Indonesia through the United Nations Temporary
Executive Authority (Untea) on May 1.

The Papuan Presidium Council announced on Tuesday
that a mass prayer to celebrate the historic moment was
scheduled to take place here.

In a statement signed by its leaders, Theys Hiyo Eluay
and
Tom Beanal, the council said that May 1 would be
remembered as a rights violation committed by the
governments of Indonesia and the Netherlands and the
United Nations..

To anticipate possible violence during the commemoration,
the council called on the Irianese in all parts of the
province not to hoist the separatist Morning Star flag.

In a related development, chairman of the West Papuan
Youth Committee Izak Yapsenang, dismissed the appeal.

"We are disappointed that the congress scheduled for
May 1 was arbitrarily postponed by the council. We will
encourage people to hoist the Morning Star flag instead
and demand leading figures to announce a transitional
government," Izak told The Jakarta Post. (eba)

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com

NOTE: "IRJA.org Inc., the moderator/s and subscribers do not neccessarily
hold to or support the opinions and views expressed in these postings. They
are posted for their news/interest content. "

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=============================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] ICJ to undertake review of 1969 poll in W Papua
Date: 4/24/00 3:10:09 PM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org

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See http://www.irja.org/eypij.htm for the correct meaning of Irian

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

[This is summary only; transcript not available]

Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Asia-Pacific Report, April 20, 2000

West Papua independence struggle enters new phase.

Some 30-years after the hand-over of the former Dutch colony of West Papua to
Indonesia, West Papuan leaders are still claiming Indonesia's take-over was
an illegal annexation and that a poll which led to the UN approving the
hand-over, was invalid. Now the International Commission of Jurists says it
will review the poll which forms the legal basis of Indonesia's claim on West
Papua. Independence leader, Wilhelm Zonggonau, who was a member of parliament
at the time of the hand-over, has been in exile in Papua New Guinea for the
past 30-years. Speaking from Sydney, he told Tricia Fitzgerald, that after
years of international isolation, West Papua's independence struggle was only
now reaching a critical stage.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

=============================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Papua Congress to be held from 29 May - 3 June
Date: 4/24/00 3:09:34 PM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org

Too much mail? Try our digest version. Info available at
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From: TAPOL

Suara Pembaruan, 20 April 2000 (Translation of earlier post)

A plenary session of the Presidium of the Papuan Council which took place
in Jayapura this week decided to convene a Papuan Congress from 29 May - 3
June 2000. It also decided that on 1 May this year, there would be a
campaign to popularise the holding of the Congress.

In a press statement announcing these decisions, it was said that the
upsurge in the struggle of the Papua people towards the end of the 20th
century had left the people with two choices: 'To remain with the Unitary
Republic of Indoneia or to separate from the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.'

The 2000 Congress will be called the Second Papuan Congress, following the
first one which was held in October 1961. The theme of the second congress,
which will be held in Port Numbay (Jayapura), will be: 'Let Us Re-write the
History of West Papua' with a sub-theme: 'The West Papuan People Vow to
Uphold Democracy and Human Rights Based on the Principles of Truth and
Justice Leading to a New Papua'.

Between 3,000 and 5,000 people are expected to attend in several categories
still to be determined and it is estimated that the even will cost Rp
3,000, 000,000 ($1 = Rp7,6000).

The press release bore the names of five signatories: Tom Beanal, chair of
the Presidium, Dr Benny Giay, the Rev. Herman Awom, Franzalbert Joku and
Theys Eluay who is also chairman of the presidium, although the last
mentioned did not actually affix his signature.

Uluay later said that he had issued an order prohibiting people from
hoisting the 'Morning Star' Flag on 1 May 2000, to commemorate the events
of 1 May 1963. He said the prohibition had been decided at this week's
presidium meeting.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

=============================================================================

Subj: Greens senator says Australia should attend West Papua congress
Date: 4/24/00 2:50:56 PM Central Daylight Time
From: iris@matra.com.au (Anne Noonan)
To: iain@irja.org, reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Content-Type: text/enriched; charset="us-ascii"
Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2000 16:01:10 +1000
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org
From: Anne Noonan
Subject: Greens senator says Australia should attend West Papua
congress

Subject: Greens senator says Australia should attend West Papua
congress

Sender: elaboyen@irja.org
Subject: Greens senator says Australia should attend West Papua congress

Radio Australia 20/4/00

Greens senator says Australia should attend West Papua

congress

An Australian Senator has called for Australia to attend
the

second national congress of West Papua.

Greens party Senator Bob Brown says West Papua or Irian
Jaya

has finalised details of the week-long meeting in
Jayapura,

starting on May the 29th.

He says the congress will be opened by Indonesia's
President

Abdurrahman Wahid.

Senator Brown says it's a critical meeting for human
rights in

West Papua, with more than five-thousand people expected
to

attend.

He says Australia's Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer,
should

go to the congress or send a nominee.

The Foreign Affairs Department in Canberra says the
deputy

head of Australia's embassy in Jakarta, Les Rowe,
visited West

Papua last week. The Department says it's not planning
another

such visit in the near future.

-----------------------------------------------

Australia West Papua Association, Sydney

PO BOX 65

Millers Point, NSW

Australia 2000

Tel/fax 61 2 99601698

iris@matra.com.au

------------------------------------------------

=============================================================================

Subj: Papuans will not organise disturbances over the Yorrys arrest
Date: 4/24/00 2:44:29 PM Central Daylight Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Suara Pembaruan, 24 April 2000
Summarised

Representatives of a number of NGOs and church leaders in Biak have signed
a joint statement declaring that there will be no disturbances to protest
against the legal process now underway regarding Yorrys Raweyai. Yorrys is
now under arrest in connection with his alleged involvement in the 27 July
1996 attack on the PDI head office in Jakarta.

Signatories of the statement included representatives of the traditional
council of Biak, the Biak section of Foreri, the deputy head of the GKI
Synode in Biak, the chairperson of Women's Solidarity, and the Biak
coordinator in Biak for the human rights organisation, ELS-HAM.

The statement which was addressed to the chief of police was also sent to
the head office of Foreri in Jayapura, the presidium of the Papuan Council,
the Bishop of Jayapura, church leaders in Jayapura, student councils
throughout West Papua and heads of traditional councils everywhere.

The statement was issued in response to remarks made by the chair of the
Youth Forum of Irian Jaya, John Menanti when speaking on TV who said that
if the police refused to release Yorrys, there would be disturbances in
West Papua calling for his release.

The statement said that Papuan people are struggling to uphold truth,
justice and peace by means of peaceful dialogue, for the purpose of
re-writing the history of Papua's colonialisation. The signatories were
therefore of the opinion that truth and justice would result in Yorrys
being released if he is proven not to be guilty. They therefore believe
that the legal process must take its course in the interests of justice and
peace.

The people of West Papua are now preparing for their national congress
which is due to commence at the end of May.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

=============================================================================

Subj: SCMP: Suharto's 'mafioso errand boy' (Yorrys) questioned
Date: 4/24/00 2:44:12 PM Central Daylight Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org, reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org
CC: slliem@xs4all.nl, will.carey@virgin.net

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

South China Morning Post
Monday, April 24, 2000

[The Yorrys case also being watched closely in W Papua. TAPOL]

INDONESIA

Suharto's 'mafioso errand boy' questioned

VAUDINE ENGLAND in Jakarta

A man described by his friends as a "likable mafioso" has been scooped up in
recent legal moves against people suspected of attacking Megawati
Sukarnoputri's party headquarters in 1996.

Yorrys Raweyai, deputy chairman of the Pemuda Pancasila youth organisation,
was taken in for questioning about his alleged role in providing a mob of
attackers to support what were said to be government-backed efforts to unseat
Ms Megawati as head of the Indonesian Democratic Party.

Activists defending Ms Megawati's office on July 27, 1996, were first
besieged then attacked by mobs.

The attacks were thought to have been arranged by senior military officers as
part of attempts by the then president, Suharto, to destroy Ms Megawati and
the reform movement which eventually unseated him.

Mr Raweyai has now reportedly admitted the Jakarta Military Command ordered
him to mobilise his forces ahead of the July 27 riots of 1996 but denied that
he or his organisation took part in the attack.

That Mr Raweyai is now falling victim to the crusading zeal of official
investigations into a series of recent traumas in Indonesian politics is an
interesting sign of how those politics are changing.

"When I was a Golkar member of parliament," recalled one source, in a
reference to Mr Suharto's election-winning machine, "we all knew Yorrys. If
you were going out of town and wanted a mass gathering to greet you wherever
you were going, you just called Yorrys.

"He was the errand boy. He's a nice guy if you know him but yes, he does earn
his living from mafia-style business."

Meanwhile, the sons of the Pemuda Pancasila chairman, Yapto Soerjosoemarno,
have been questioned several times in connection with at least three murders
in recent months.

Accusations against the youth group paint it as one of several which played
important, albeit shadowy, roles at most key moments in Indonesian history.

Such turning points date back to the independence struggle itself, through
the trauma of 1965-67 and some of Mr Suharto's domestic battles to the East
Timor debacle.

The legal process against Mr Raweyai and others can be expected to be slow,
but his apprehension is a significant fresh move in the continuing tug-of-war
between old politics and new.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

============================================================================

Subj: Theys: Outsiders don't need to fear anything
Date: 4/24/00 2:44:07 PM Central Daylight Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Suara Pembaruan, 22 April 2000

Newcomers in W Papua Don't Need to Worry

People living in West Papua who have come from elsewhere have no need to
fear because Papuans do not intend to throw them out, said Theys Uluay,
chair of the presidium of the Papuan Council.'We want them to stay,' he said.

'We will not resort to force to throw them out or to intimidate them in any
way. We are waging our struggle in accord with our religion, based on the
principles of peace and love,' he said.

He went on to say that no one need fear events on 1 May this year. On that
day, the Papuan people will commemorate the violation of their human
rights. It will be a day of mourning and it will be marked by prayer. This
is why people have been told not to hoist the Morning Star.

When he was asked, what about the red-and-white (Indonesia's flag), he said
that this flag would not be hoisted either. If it is hoisted, it must be
alongside the Morning Star.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

==============================================================================

Subj: Minister Hikam: Ending Freeport contract would hit investment
Date: 4/23/00 11:43:34 AM Central Daylight Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org, reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

BBC Monitoring
4/22/2000
Source: Antara news agency, Jakarta, in English 0000 gmt 21 Apr 00

Indonesia: Minister says ending mining contract would hit investment

Jakarta, 21st April: Cancellation of mining company PT Freeport's contract is
likely to have a wide impact, Research and Technology Minister Muhammad AS
Hikam said here Thursday [20th April].

"We cannot act unilaterally lest we will be accused of arbitrariness and then
no foreign investor will come to Indonesia," the minister said.

Various quarters in the country have been holding PT Freeport responsible for
the damage to the environment around the company's mining sites in Irian Jaya.

According to the Irian Jaya Environmental Impact Management Board
(Bapedalda), a provincial inspection team had discovered that tailings -
waste from the company's mining activity - had damaged 13,300 ha of forest in
the region.

Ironically, the company had only reclaimed 125 ha of the forest by growing
quick-yielding plants.

Hikam, who is also head of the Development Council for Eastern Indonesia,
said one way that could be pursued in settling the problem was holding fair
negotiations with the PT Freeport management.

The minister said he believed PT Freeport had a commitment to consider the
Indonesian public's demands.

Commenting on the on-going controversy involving PT Freeport, Hikam said it
had developed in an unhealthy way.

"The problem of (environment) pollution is still there, and that is the
(core) of the problem which needs to be solved," the minister said.

The minister had recently visited the province to collect information on
various problems being faced by the local people.

During his three-day visit in Irian Jaya, Hikam said, he also visited PT
Freeport in Timika district.

The minister said in his view, the disposal of the company's tailings was
being well-managed. However, he could not get further information on the
impact of the tailings on the environment.

Those in support of, as well as those against, the company's operations
should argue with each other on the basis of facts and data, and not on
assumptions, he said.

"Unfortunately, those who have been criticizing PT Freeport have not seen the
results of an audit conducted by an independent consultant hired by PT
Freeport," Hikam added.

On the other hand, those who supported the company's continued operations
should not always reject criticisms outright, the minister said.

A non-governmental organization on the environment, Walhi, recently conducted
a poll by distributing postcards to several provinces.

The postcards provided two options to the public: an independent audit on PT
Freeport or cancellation of its contract of work.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

========================================================================

Subj: Sydney seminar: West Papua at the Crossroads
Date: 4/23/00 11:50:58 AM Central Daylight Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from John Ondawame on 23 April 2000

Press Release
Sydney, April 19, 2000

West Papua at the Crossroads

More than 60 participants representing academics,government and
non-governmental organisations, politicians, support groups, international
guests, journalists and West Papuans, attended a conference on West Papua
that was held at International House at Sydney University today. The
participants discussed various areas of concern such as the ìdenialî
politics of the 1960s, the implications of Indonesian colonial domination,
future prospects for West Papua and the Australian role. In the evening,
Dr Tim Flannery, director of the South Australia Museum will launch the
West Papua Project being established within the Centre of Peace and
Conflict Studies at Sydney University. He will be introduction by Prof.
Stuart Rees, Director of the centre.

ì Forums like this area vital opportunity to raise public awareness of
West Papua in this country. The conference reflected different views,
however, all were agreed on the fundamental issue that the people of West
Papua should have an equal right to exercise self-determination and
pursue independence, said Ondawame, Co-convenen of the conference.

In a draft communique of the conference, the participants will be
invited to:

. Welcome the decision of International Commission of Jurist to re-examine
the ìAct of Free Choiceî of 1969.

. call on the government of Australia to put pressure on the government
of Indonesia to resume the Nnational Dialogue with West Papuans that
was initiated on 26 February 1999 in Jakarta.

. acknowledge the importance of regionalisation of the issue and call on
the governments of the South Pacific Forum countries to sponsor it
West Papua putting on the next Forum agenda.

. declare that the government of Australia has a moral obligation to the
people of West Papua for historical reasons and urge the government to
play a mediating role to settle the conflict between West Papuans and
Indonesia.

"Calls like this show how the general view of West Papua in Australia is
slowly shifting. The establishment of the NSW Parliamentary Friendship
Group for West Papua in Sydney, and the support I have received during my
short visit to Sydney suggested the begining of a new wave of regional
support for West Papua. This is a very important development. West Papuans
wherever they live must reconcile with each other and must find a new
formula for national unity, supporting the success of the forthcoming
congress Papua" said Mr. Wim Zonggonau, former member of the Dutch backed
West Papuan Council, sociolog and adviser to PNG- based OPM who is
currently visit Australia to campaigns for West Papuan self-determination
and independence along with Mr. Ondawame.

The conference will end with additional activities including as an
exhibitionby the Australian West Papua Association (AWPA)/Sydney,
fundraising for the West Papuan Project, and with a performance and songs
by the Black Brothers-West Papuan folk group based in Canberra.

Inquiries: Peter King- 02-9351 7402, Jim Elmslie -015 913870 and John
Ondawame 02-9960 1698/625 705 87

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

=======================================================

Subj: Governor Sutiyoso denies hiring Pemuda Pancasila (Papuans back Yorrys)
Date: 4/23/00 11:42:49 AM Central Daylight Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Jakarta Post
April 22, 2000

[The threat of violence in W. Papua if Yorrys is not released needs to be
watched, as does Yorrys' possible links with army interests in Papua. TAPOL]

Sutiyoso denies hiring Pemuda Pancasila

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso denied on Thursday that he had ordered
members of the Pemuda Pancasila (PP) youth organization to help takeover the
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters on July 27, 1996.

"I never ordered the youth organization to take part in the July 27, 1996
takeover," Sutiyoso announced at City Hall.

He was commenting on a statement by lawyers of the youth organization's
deputy chairman, Yoris Raweyai, who said on Wednesday that their client had
received an order from the Jakarta Military Command to deploy some 100 of its
members to help PDI supporters loyal to the party's splinter group's chairman
Soerjadi raid and take over the party headquarters. Party members loyal to
chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, who is now Vice President, had occupied
the headquarters at the time.

Sutiyoso, then a two-star general, was the Jakarta Military commander when
the takeover took place.

Yoris told the police on Wednesday that several officers from the command
asked him to send out his men to secure SMP 8 and SMP 9 junior high schools,
the residence of (former minister of women's affairs) Mien Sugandhi and the
Palestinian Embassy, all on Jl. Diponegoro in Central Jakarta.

The takeover sparked a mass riot in the city, in which at least five people
were killed and another 149 injured, while 23 people are reportedly still
missing.

Yoris is currently being detained at the National Police Headquarters on Jl.
Trunojoya in South Jakarta.

When asked whether Sutiyoso had special relations with the youth
organization, the governor only said it was common for a military commander
to have relations with any mass organization.

"I had established relations with many mass organizations, not only with
Pemuda Pancasila," he said.

Sutiyoso, however, refused to explain further.

"I will disclose all I know to the police. Until then, you'll have to wait,"
he said to reporters.

Contacted separately, city spokesman Muhayat confirmed the governor's
intention to meet any police summons.

"The governor said he would obey a summon as it would reflect the supremacy
of the law," he said over the phone.

In a separate development, chairman of West Papua Youth Forum John Poli
Menanti asked the National Police to release Yoris in 20 days or trouble
would happen in Irian Jaya, while citing that the forum had 8,000 members.

"I'm not threatening, but I'm afraid that there will be political turmoil in
Papua," he was quoted as saying by detik.com online news provider when paying
Yoris a visit on Thursday.

"Yoris' fault isn't clear yet so he should be released," he added.

John said Yoris was only an operator who received orders from generals such
as Sutiyoso, former Armed Forces (ABRI) chief of sociopolitical affairs Lt.
Gen. (ret) Syarwan Hamid and former president Soeharto.

"He wouldn't do such things unless there were orders. The generals are the
ones who should be arrested," he said.

Yoris' lawyers are scheduled to hold a media conference at the National
Police headquarters next Monday. (nvn)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

============================================================================

Subj: SCMP Feature/West Papua: Seeking Freedom in the Jungle
Date: 4/21/00 5:33:56 AM Central Daylight Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org
CC: dtecampaign@gn.apc.org, dte@gn.apc.org, will.carey@virgin.net

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

South China Morning Post
Friday, April 21, 2000

Seeking freedom in the jungle

Photo: Freedom fighter: a threadbare guerilla, armed with an old rifle,
emerges from the highlands of Papua. Picture by Ben Bohane

BEN BOHANE

When thousands of Papuans descended on the capital Jayapura to raise their
independence flag, the Morning Star, earlier this year, the outpouring of
emotion was overwhelming. For the first time since the province was invaded
by Indonesia in 1962, these embattled people were able to raise the flag
without the fear of being shot on sight or arrested. They cried, sang and
remembered the thousands killed in a struggle every bit as haunting as that
of East Timor and one that continues to plague the Indonesian archipelago and
its neighbours.

Now tension is mounting in the province many observers are calling the next
East Timor as hundreds of Indonesian troops begin arriving in Jayapura in
anticipation of large demonstrations planned by Papuan leaders for May.
Locals are fearful because many of the troops are green beret and Kostrad
troops from the 515 Battalion responsible for the massacre of up to 200 Biak
islanders during an independence flag-raising ceremony in 1998.

In recent weeks, nine key leaders who led the December flagraising have gone
on trial facing charges of plotting against the State. Among them is Chief
Theuys Eleuay, Papua's point man in negotiations with Jakarta. Elected
president in the first-ever Papuan Congress in December, the large, garrulous
leader is protected by a self-styled, black-uniformed "Papuan Militia"
reminiscent of the Black Panthers. The chief has taken the independence issue
from a fractured guerilla movement in the bush, to an increasingly
sophisticated, urban movement.

Just as Indonesia is seeing the advent of new leaders, such as President
Abdurrahman Wahid, after 30 years of Suharto's authoritarian rule, so too
Papua is ushering in a new generation of leaders to continue its struggle to
break away from its giant controller.

I was able to witness this on a rare trip to their jungle headquarters. This
journey began as the little Twin Otter banked over the border town of Kiunga
in PNG's western province where the view was an undiluted vision of flat,
green swamp for as far as the eye could see. Rising in the distance to the
north, the first jagged edge of 1,800-metre limestone mountains of the
Southern Highlands poked through low flying clouds. Below, the Fly River,
coiled and brown like a vast intestinal tract, cut its way through tangled
jungle on its trek to the Gulf of Papua. The Fly also acts as the border
between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. In Kiunga, I met my OPM (Free Papua
Movement) contact and we spent the next five hours meandering down the river
in a banana boat to reach their headquarters. It was early evening when we
pulled into a riverside village of wooden houses built on stilts. Men in
camouflage uniforms armed with homemade shotguns escorted us to a checkpoint
where our details were entered into a notebook.

The next morning, a group of leaders climbed into the dark, smoke-filled hut
which was my accommodation and greeted me with their traditional handshake -
interlocking fingers between fists and snapping back quickly to produce a
clicking sound. Among them was Bernard Mawen, a tall, slim, grey-bearded man
who is the Southern Commander of the OPM. Quietly he withdrew to the square
fireplace set in the floor of the hut. "Commander John" Nek Nek, a tilted
beret atop his full camouflage gear spoke of the OPM-organised conference.
Delegates from all over Papua (formerly known as Irian Jaya but Indonesia
President Abdurrahman Wahid has recently begun referring to the province as
Papua) arrived to discuss strategy, draw up political demands to pass on to
Jakarta and, as it soon transpired, to allow Nek Nek's "progressives" faction
to take the reins of a splintered military movement now well past its 30th
year of struggle.

The OPM has long been characterised by its factionalism, yet this has been as
much to do with geography as politics. Papua is a vast land of mountains and
jungle with a wilderness area second only in size to the Amazon. It has been
left largely to the three active Regional Commanders, Kelly Kwalik (Central),
Matthias Wenda (Northern) and Bernard Mawen (South) to pursue the struggle in
autonomous cells. All three of them at various stages have claimed the mantle
of Supreme Commander.

The OPM have waged their hit-and-run guerilla war against Indonesian troops
since 1962 when President Sukarno ordered "Operation Mandala" to annex the
last remaining Dutch territory left in the archipelago. Placed in charge of
the operation was General Suharto. Meanwhile the Dutch had promised
Independence for Papua in 1970. As war loomed the UN stepped in. The "Bunker
agreement" was signed in New York, allowing for a UN peacekeeping force to
occupy the territory and set up an "Act of Free Choice" vote so that Papuans
could decide their own destiny. But there would be no free choice.

The UN has had its share of bungled operations over the years, done usually
with the best of intentions as writer Graham Greene would have warned. Yet
few of its operations are marked with the bald injustice of the 1969 Act of
Free Choice. Here the UN did not just bungle, it was complicit in a sham
referendum in Papua which allowed Indonesia to annex a racially different
people largely because of Cold War politics at the time. Although America and
Australia had originally supported the Dutch claim, they soon changed their
position fearing a protracted war between the Netherlands and Indonesia over
Papua would push Indonesia further into the arms of the Russians and Chinese.

The official report written by Dr Ortiz Sanz, the UN representative at the
time, reads: "I regret to have to express my reservation regarding the
implementation of Article XXII of the Agreement, relating to the rights,
including the rights of free speech, freedom of movement and assembly, of the
inhabitants of the area. In spite of my constant efforts, this provision was
not fully implemented and the administration exercised at all times a tight
political control over the population."

Church groups and NGOs claim 100,000 Papuans have perished under Indonesian
rule since the 1960s.

I spent a week visiting other camps along the border, including refugee camps
like Kuyu. Four hundred refugees live here in stilt houses where malnutrition
and malaria have taken a deadly toll over the years. Their diet consists only
of bananas and occasional fish as the swamp they live in is too wet to grow
sweet potatoes or taro for eight months of the year. Last year a fire burnt
all their sago trees as well as a number of homes and a church. Despite the
conditions, this year the UNHCR claimed it would no longer be responsible for
the 8,000 refugees still living along this border, reinforcing the people's
sense of abandonment by the UN. They also fear forced repatriation.

My final days in this troubled land were spent with Nek Nek in his camp
closer to Kiunga. We moved to his office surrounded by hibiscus trees one
afternoon with its desk piled high with papers and an old black Remington
typewriter sitting in a shaft of light from an open window. I asked Nek Nek
what his priorities were for the direction of the OPM.

"The first is unity. The OPM has become all-inclusive to avoid the
factionalism of the past. For many years I have tried to introduce a more
democratic process within the OPM, holding forums like this recent
conference, where everyone can speak openly, including women. This is
important because when we achieve independence we don't want to be dominated
by militaristic thinking.

"In 1992 we established a structure where the OPM Supreme Command has a
political wing and a military wing, called the TPN (Tentara Pembasan
Nationale or National Liberation Army). This way the TPN takes its orders
from the political wing, the OPM.

"I have great respect for our leaders who have taken us through more than 30
years of struggle. But the world is a different place now and our struggle
must become more adaptable.

"Some leaders have put too much faith in God to deliver our goals and too
much reliance on NGO and church groups for our survival. We are now moving
towards greater self-reliance. We are panning for gold and harvesting
sandalwood trees to bring in income. We have had our armoury operating for
several years already, producing homemade shotguns."

Nek Nek claimed basic training for more guerillas would continue, however the
focus would be on intensive training for small units of special forces. "Like
the 'Sparrow Force' units of the NPA [New People's Army, the communist
guerillas in the Philippines]," Nek Nek told me. For six months he trained
with and observed the tactics the NPA used in its struggle. "I don't agree
with their ideology," Nek Nek said smiling and stroking his beard, "but
tactically they were very good, particularly in getting the people on side
and in terms of self-sufficiency."

The reason for these special forces units soon became clear. "For years we
have engaged in skirmishes with the Indonesians in the bush. This has been
good for getting guns, but overall it is not effective. I believe - and this
was approved at the conference - that militarily we need to put pressure on
Indonesia by hurting their economy. We will soon begin economic targeting.
Only this way will Indonesia realise it must begin meaningful talks with the
Papuan people." Although he refused to name any such targets, Freeport's vast
copper and gold mine at Tembagapura is a likely one. It accounts for 30 per
cent of Indonesia's total export earnings and is the single biggest taxpayer
in the country. Freeport has also had a steady stream of criticism levelled
at it from environmental and human rights organisations around the world.
Much of that criticism is directed at its lack of sensitivity towards the
indigenous land owners, its close links with the Suharto family and its
perceived support for the Indonesian army in its area of operations. It would
not be the first time the OPM have attacked the mine; on at least two
occasions in the past, Freeport's pipeline has been cut for days, costing the
company millions of dollars.

There has long been disquiet among Pacific nations that pressure from
Indonesia and a compliant Australia has continually blocked the issue of
Papua from ever being on the agenda at annual South Pacific Forum meetings.
But since East Timor's independence, one of its first steps will be to join
the South Pacific Forum, according to independence leader Jose Ramos Horta.
Talks were held in Fiji in March to accord him "observer status". The Nobel
Peace Prize winner has already pledged to lobby the UN on behalf of Papua as
reports emerge of pro-Indonesian militia gangs being mobilised again.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

============================================================================

Subj: SCMP Feature/West Papua: Seeking Freedom in the Jungle
Date: 4/21/00 5:29:47 AM Central Daylight Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org
CC: dtecampaign@gn.apc.org, dte@gn.apc.org, will.carey@virgin.net

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

South China Morning Post
Friday, April 21, 2000

Seeking freedom in the jungle

Photo: Freedom fighter: a threadbare guerilla, armed with an old rifle,
emerges from the highlands of Papua. Picture by Ben Bohane

BEN BOHANE

When thousands of Papuans descended on the capital Jayapura to raise their
independence flag, the Morning Star, earlier this year, the outpouring of
emotion was overwhelming. For the first time since the province was invaded
by Indonesia in 1962, these embattled people were able to raise the flag
without the fear of being shot on sight or arrested. They cried, sang and
remembered the thousands killed in a struggle every bit as haunting as that
of East Timor and one that continues to plague the Indonesian archipelago and
its neighbours.

Now tension is mounting in the province many observers are calling the next
East Timor as hundreds of Indonesian troops begin arriving in Jayapura in
anticipation of large demonstrations planned by Papuan leaders for May.
Locals are fearful because many of the troops are green beret and Kostrad
troops from the 515 Battalion responsible for the massacre of up to 200 Biak
islanders during an independence flag-raising ceremony in 1998.

In recent weeks, nine key leaders who led the December flagraising have gone
on trial facing charges of plotting against the State. Among them is Chief
Theuys Eleuay, Papua's point man in negotiations with Jakarta. Elected
president in the first-ever Papuan Congress in December, the large, garrulous
leader is protected by a self-styled, black-uniformed "Papuan Militia"
reminiscent of the Black Panthers. The chief has taken the independence issue
from a fractured guerilla movement in the bush, to an increasingly
sophisticated, urban movement.

Just as Indonesia is seeing the advent of new leaders, such as President
Abdurrahman Wahid, after 30 years of Suharto's authoritarian rule, so too
Papua is ushering in a new generation of leaders to continue its struggle to
break away from its giant controller.

I was able to witness this on a rare trip to their jungle headquarters. This
journey began as the little Twin Otter banked over the border town of Kiunga
in PNG's western province where the view was an undiluted vision of flat,
green swamp for as far as the eye could see. Rising in the distance to the
north, the first jagged edge of 1,800-metre limestone mountains of the
Southern Highlands poked through low flying clouds. Below, the Fly River,
coiled and brown like a vast intestinal tract, cut its way through tangled
jungle on its trek to the Gulf of Papua. The Fly also acts as the border
between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. In Kiunga, I met my OPM (Free Papua
Movement) contact and we spent the next five hours meandering down the river
in a banana boat to reach their headquarters. It was early evening when we
pulled into a riverside village of wooden houses built on stilts. Men in
camouflage uniforms armed with homemade shotguns escorted us to a checkpoint
where our details were entered into a notebook.

The next morning, a group of leaders climbed into the dark, smoke-filled hut
which was my accommodation and greeted me with their traditional handshake -
interlocking fingers between fists and snapping back quickly to produce a
clicking sound. Among them was Bernard Mawen, a tall, slim, grey-bearded man
who is the Southern Commander of the OPM. Quietly he withdrew to the square
fireplace set in the floor of the hut. "Commander John" Nek Nek, a tilted
beret atop his full camouflage gear spoke of the OPM-organised conference.
Delegates from all over Papua (formerly known as Irian Jaya but Indonesia
President Abdurrahman Wahid has recently begun referring to the province as
Papua) arrived to discuss strategy, draw up political demands to pass on to
Jakarta and, as it soon transpired, to allow Nek Nek's "progressives" faction
to take the reins of a splintered military movement now well past its 30th
year of struggle.

The OPM has long been characterised by its factionalism, yet this has been as
much to do with geography as politics. Papua is a vast land of mountains and
jungle with a wilderness area second only in size to the Amazon. It has been
left largely to the three active Regional Commanders, Kelly Kwalik (Central),
Matthias Wenda (Northern) and Bernard Mawen (South) to pursue the struggle in
autonomous cells. All three of them at various stages have claimed the mantle
of Supreme Commander.

The OPM have waged their hit-and-run guerilla war against Indonesian troops
since 1962 when President Sukarno ordered "Operation Mandala" to annex the
last remaining Dutch territory left in the archipelago. Placed in charge of
the operation was General Suharto. Meanwhile the Dutch had promised
Independence for Papua in 1970. As war loomed the UN stepped in. The "Bunker
agreement" was signed in New York, allowing for a UN peacekeeping force to
occupy the territory and set up an "Act of Free Choice" vote so that Papuans
could decide their own destiny. But there would be no free choice.

The UN has had its share of bungled operations over the years, done usually
with the best of intentions as writer Graham Greene would have warned. Yet
few of its operations are marked with the bald injustice of the 1969 Act of
Free Choice. Here the UN did not just bungle, it was complicit in a sham
referendum in Papua which allowed Indonesia to annex a racially different
people largely because of Cold War politics at the time. Although America and
Australia had originally supported the Dutch claim, they soon changed their
position fearing a protracted war between the Netherlands and Indonesia over
Papua would push Indonesia further into the arms of the Russians and Chinese.

The official report written by Dr Ortiz Sanz, the UN representative at the
time, reads: "I regret to have to express my reservation regarding the
implementation of Article XXII of the Agreement, relating to the rights,
including the rights of free speech, freedom of movement and assembly, of the
inhabitants of the area. In spite of my constant efforts, this provision was
not fully implemented and the administration exercised at all times a tight
political control over the population."

Church groups and NGOs claim 100,000 Papuans have perished under Indonesian
rule since the 1960s.

I spent a week visiting other camps along the border, including refugee camps
like Kuyu. Four hundred refugees live here in stilt houses where malnutrition
and malaria have taken a deadly toll over the years. Their diet consists only
of bananas and occasional fish as the swamp they live in is too wet to grow
sweet potatoes or taro for eight months of the year. Last year a fire burnt
all their sago trees as well as a number of homes and a church. Despite the
conditions, this year the UNHCR claimed it would no longer be responsible for
the 8,000 refugees still living along this border, reinforcing the people's
sense of abandonment by the UN. They also fear forced repatriation.

My final days in this troubled land were spent with Nek Nek in his camp
closer to Kiunga. We moved to his office surrounded by hibiscus trees one
afternoon with its desk piled high with papers and an old black Remington
typewriter sitting in a shaft of light from an open window. I asked Nek Nek
what his priorities were for the direction of the OPM.

"The first is unity. The OPM has become all-inclusive to avoid the
factionalism of the past. For many years I have tried to introduce a more
democratic process within the OPM, holding forums like this recent
conference, where everyone can speak openly, including women. This is
important because when we achieve independence we don't want to be dominated
by militaristic thinking.

"In 1992 we established a structure where the OPM Supreme Command has a
political wing and a military wing, called the TPN (Tentara Pembasan
Nationale or National Liberation Army). This way the TPN takes its orders
from the political wing, the OPM.

"I have great respect for our leaders who have taken us through more than 30
years of struggle. But the world is a different place now and our struggle
must become more adaptable.

"Some leaders have put too much faith in God to deliver our goals and too
much reliance on NGO and church groups for our survival. We are now moving
towards greater self-reliance. We are panning for gold and harvesting
sandalwood trees to bring in income. We have had our armoury operating for
several years already, producing homemade shotguns."

Nek Nek claimed basic training for more guerillas would continue, however the
focus would be on intensive training for small units of special forces. "Like
the 'Sparrow Force' units of the NPA [New People's Army, the communist
guerillas in the Philippines]," Nek Nek told me. For six months he trained
with and observed the tactics the NPA used in its struggle. "I don't agree
with their ideology," Nek Nek said smiling and stroking his beard, "but
tactically they were very good, particularly in getting the people on side
and in terms of self-sufficiency."

The reason for these special forces units soon became clear. "For years we
have engaged in skirmishes with the Indonesians in the bush. This has been
good for getting guns, but overall it is not effective. I believe - and this
was approved at the conference - that militarily we need to put pressure on
Indonesia by hurting their economy. We will soon begin economic targeting.
Only this way will Indonesia realise it must begin meaningful talks with the
Papuan people." Although he refused to name any such targets, Freeport's vast
copper and gold mine at Tembagapura is a likely one. It accounts for 30 per
cent of Indonesia's total export earnings and is the single biggest taxpayer
in the country. Freeport has also had a steady stream of criticism levelled
at it from environmental and human rights organisations around the world.
Much of that criticism is directed at its lack of sensitivity towards the
indigenous land owners, its close links with the Suharto family and its
perceived support for the Indonesian army in its area of operations. It would
not be the first time the OPM have attacked the mine; on at least two
occasions in the past, Freeport's pipeline has been cut for days, costing the
company millions of dollars.

There has long been disquiet among Pacific nations that pressure from
Indonesia and a compliant Australia has continually blocked the issue of
Papua from ever being on the agenda at annual South Pacific Forum meetings.
But since East Timor's independence, one of its first steps will be to join
the South Pacific Forum, according to independence leader Jose Ramos Horta.
Talks were held in Fiji in March to accord him "observer status". The Nobel
Peace Prize winner has already pledged to lobby the UN on behalf of Papua as
reports emerge of pro-Indonesian militia gangs being mobilised again.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

=============================================================================

Subj: ICJ to undertake review of 1969 poll in W Papua
Date: 4/21/00 5:29:45 AM Central Daylight Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

[This is summary only; transcript not available]

Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Asia-Pacific Report, April 20, 2000

West Papua independence struggle enters new phase.

Some 30-years after the hand-over of the former Dutch colony of West Papua to
Indonesia, West Papuan leaders are still claiming Indonesia's take-over was
an illegal annexation and that a poll which led to the UN approving the
hand-over, was invalid. Now the International Commission of Jurists says it
will review the poll which forms the legal basis of Indonesia's claim on West
Papua. Independence leader, Wilhelm Zonggonau, who was a member of parliament
at the time of the hand-over, has been in exile in Papua New Guinea for the
past 30-years. Speaking from Sydney, he told Tricia Fitzgerald, that after
years of international isolation, West Papua's independence struggle was only
now reaching a critical stage.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

=============================================================================

Subj: Papua Congress to be held from 29 May - 3 June
Date: 4/20/00 2:30:52 PM Central Daylight Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Suara Pembaruan, 20 April 2000

A plenary session of the Presidium of the Papuan Council which took place
in Jayapura this week decided to convene a Papuan Congress from 29 May - 3
June 2000. It also decided that on 1 May this year, there would be a
campaign to popularise the holding of the Congress.

In a press statement announcing these decisions, it was said that the
upsurge in the struggle of the Papua people towards the end of the 20th
century had left the people with two choices: 'To remain with the Unitary
Republic of Indoneia or to separate from the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.'

The 2000 Congress will be called the Second Papuan Congress, following the
first one which was held in October 1961. The theme of the second congress,
which will be held in Port Numbay (Jayapura), will be: 'Let Us Re-write the
History of West Papua' with a sub-theme: 'The West Papuan People Vow to
Uphold Democracy and Human Rights Based on the Principles of Truth and
Justice Leading to a New Papua'.

Between 3,000 and 5,000 people are expected to attend in several categories
still to be determined and it is estimated that the even will cost Rp
3,000, 000,000 ($1 = Rp7,6000).

The press release bore the names of five signatories: Tom Beanal, chair of
the Presidium, Dr Benny Giay, the Rev. Herman Awom, Franzalbert Joku and
Theys Eluay who is also chairman of the presidium, although the last
mentioned did not actually affix his signature.

Uluay later said that he had issued an order prohibiting people from
hoisting the 'Morning Star' Flag on 1 May 2000, to commemorate the events
of 1 May 1963. He said the prohibition had been decided at this week's
presidium meeting.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

=============================================================================

Subj: Papua Congress to be held from 29 May - 3 June
Date: 4/20/00 2:28:36 PM Central Daylight Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Suara Pembaruan, 20 April 2000

A plenary session of the Presidium of the Papuan Council which took place
in Jayapura this week decided to convene a Papuan Congress from 29 May - 3
June 2000. It also decided that on 1 May this year, there would be a
campaign to popularise the holding of the Congress.

In a press statement announcing these decisions, it was said that the
upsurge in the struggle of the Papua people towards the end of the 20th
century had left the people with two choices: 'To remain with the Unitary
Republic of Indoneia or to separate from the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.'

The 2000 Congress will be called the Second Papuan Congress, following the
first one which was held in October 1961. The theme of the second congress,
which will be held in Port Numbay (Jayapura), will be: 'Let Us Re-write the
History of West Papua' with a sub-theme: 'The West Papuan People Vow to
Uphold Democracy and Human Rights Based on the Principles of Truth and
Justice Leading to a New Papua'.

Between 3,000 and 5,000 people are expected to attend in several categories
still to be determined and it is estimated that the even will cost Rp
3,000, 000,000 ($1 = Rp7,6000).

The press release bore the names of five signatories: Tom Beanal, chair of
the Presidium, Dr Benny Giay, the Rev. Herman Awom, Franzalbert Joku and
Theys Eluay who is also chairman of the presidium, although the last
mentioned did not actually affix his signature.

Uluay later said that he had issued an order prohibiting people from
hoisting the 'Morning Star' Flag on 1 May 2000, to commemorate the events
of 1 May 1963. He said the prohibition had been decided at this week's
presidium meeting.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and Aceh

26 years - and still going strong

========================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Job Posting (x 1)
Date: 4/20/00 2:23:15 PM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org

Too much mail? Try our digest version. Info available at
http://www.irja.org/conf.htm

See http://www.irja.org/eypij.htm for the correct meaning of Irian

Position: Admin assistant

Start-completion dates: July - September 2000 (with a good chance of
continuance if the successful applicant performs well)

Hours: One to two hours a day

Duties: Check the admin@irja.org mail box. Handle list requests, basic
admin tasks and forward information requests to the pertinent e-mailbox.
Collect news and edit for submission to kabar-irian. Cooperate with others
who also submit so there are no dual postings. Keep things running
smoothly. May have to update web site on occasion

Requirments: The successful candidate must be reasonably fluent in
Indonesian and English both at the written and the spoken level. A good
working knowledge of computers and the internet is expected. A candiate
who is also fluent in Dutch would be strongly considered.

Ideally we prefer a Papuan living in Irian. However we are open to all
applicants. The successful applicant MUST be able to access the internet
every day and MUST put in some time every day.

Please submit a resume and cover letter in BOTH languages to
admin@irja.org so that we can determine fluency. Your cover letter should
explain why you think you should have the job and what your connections
and relationship to irian are. Include 3 references and their contact
information. At least one of the references should speak English or
Indonesian. We will not accept references where all three of the
references can only speak either English or Indonesian.

(ie: You need 1 english and 2 Indonesian speakers or 2 english and one
Indonesian speaker. We would of course accept the reference who will
represent your single English or single Indonesian speaker should they
speak both languages. )

NOTE: We prefer to keep this inhouse but will be short staffed for the
next few months. Receipt of an application does NOT guarentee employment.

Wage: 100,0000 RPS/month. or $100 US depending on your location.

--Admin

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com

NOTE: "IRJA.org Inc., the moderator/s and subscribers do not neccessarily
hold to or support the opinions and views expressed in these postings. They
are posted for their news/interest content. "

To unsubscribe send the message "unsubscribe Kabar-irian" (minus the
"parenthesis") to majordomo@irja.org

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friendly form.

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=======================================================

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS OF THE INVESTIGATION
INTO THE EVENTS OF 9 MAY 1996 IN WESTERN PAPUA,

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Job Posting (x 1)
Date: 4/20/00 2:23:15 PM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org

ENTRUSTED BY THE ICRC TO AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT

[Extract:

d) Who were the armed Westerners on board the white helicopter?

Only a serious and transparent investigation by the relevant government
authorities would enable a reliable reply to be made to this question.
There are three possibilities: members of the British special forces (who
some accounts indicate were present in the area); mercenaries from
Executive Outcomes or Sandline; or Indonesian personnel of European
extraction. It is nevertheless certain that Western advisers, including Mr
Ivor Helberg, helped the Indonesian armed forces prepare the operation.]

1. MANDATE

Following the broadcast of Blood on the Cross, by Mark Davis, on
Australia's ABC network and the Swiss French-language network TSR, the
International Committee of the Red Cross announced publicly that it would
appoint an individual outside the organization to draw up a report as to
the veracity of the allegations made in the documentary and any
responsibility on the part of the delegates involved in its activities in
Western Papua. The ICRC appointed Mr Piotr Obuchowicz, who is very
familiar with the organization and the way it works.

Mark Davis largely based his documentary on the findings of the report
drawn up by Irian Jaya's Institute for Policy and Human Rights Advocacy
("ELSHAM") and published in August 1999. The report asked the ICRC to look
into the events that occurred in Western Papua in May 1996.

Mr Obuchowicz began his investigation on 25 October 1999. It required
travel to a number of places (including Jakarta and Western Papua itself)
and led him to meet directly and on the spot the various individuals
concerned and to analyse the allegations made against the ICRC.

Mr Obuchowicz spoke with many people ? including ICRC delegates ? who were
present in Indonesia in 1996, former hostages of Kelly Kwalik, armed forces
personnel, staff of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Indonesian
human rights activists, ELSHAM representatives in Jayapura, representatives
of the Papuan Amungme et N'duga tribes, and both British and Netherlands
diplomats. The vast majority of the individuals approached co-operated with
the investigation. However, the Indonesian, British and Netherlands
authorities declined to take an official position on the matter. Nor was it
possible to meet Kelly Kwalik, General Prabowo Subianto, who had been
responsible for security operations in Western Papua at the time, or Mr
Ivor Helberg, the British military attaché who was present in Western Papua
during the hostage crisis.

2. IS THERE ANY TRUTH TO THE ALLEGATIONS ?

The investigation made it possible to look into the facts of the case and
to assess the accounts gathered regarding the accusations levelled in the
ELSHAM report and the Davis documentary.

a) Did ICRC delegate Sylviane Bonadei take part in the military operation
of 9 May 1996 ?

A detailed investigation into Ms Bonadei's whereabouts on 9 May shows it to
be impossible that she could have been in Kenyam when the military
operation began. Moreover, the majority of witnesses and others involved in
the affair (including the makers of the documentary) who were questioned
stated that they had never believed that she had been present during the
operation. On the other hand, no one seemed to have difficulty in believing
that there had been a ruse, with a European posing as Ms Bonadei, to create
the illusion that an ICRC operation was underway.

b) Was the white helicopter the one previously used by the ICRC, or
another?

The investigation revealed that when the military operation took place, at
least three white helicopters were operational in the region (one with
yellow markings, one with green and one with blue). It was not possible to
establish whether one of these had been used, especially as it is a simple
matter to quickly paint a military helicopter white. What is certain,
however, is that a white helicopter was employed for the military
operation.

c) Did the helicopter used for the military operation bear the Red Cross
emblem?

Accounts differ as to whether the emblem was used. What is certain,
however, is that a white helicopter appeared in Ngesselema on the afternoon
in question and that it could have been perceived by the local population
only as an ICRC helicopter, whether displaying the red cross emblem or not.
Deceiving the local population in this manner could have had only one
effect in military terms: total surprise.

d) Who were the armed Westerners on board the white helicopter?

Only a serious and transparent investigation by the relevant government
authorities would enable a reliable reply to be made to this question.
There are three possibilities: members of the British special forces (who
some accounts indicate were present in the area); mercenaries from
Executive Outcomes or Sandline; or Indonesian personnel of European
extraction. It is nevertheless certain that Western advisers, including Mr
Ivor Helberg, helped the Indonesian armed forces prepare the operation.

e) Why did the ICRC announce that it was terminating its involvement? Was
this fact conveyed to the hostage-takers?

The role played by the ICRC during the hostage crisis was in complete
accordance with the organization's policy in such situations. There were
two major aspects to that role:

1. material and moral support;
2. serving as a neutral intermediary.

The ICRC fulfilled both aspects of its role as long as it could, abandoning
the second on the morning of 9 May, though it indicated that it was
prepared to continue providing material and moral support. Thus, the ICRC
never took the decision to withdraw completely. However, owing to
insufficient communication within the ICRC team, but above all as a result
of security concerns (i.e. the hostage-takers' pronounced aggressiveness
towards the ICRC on the morning of 9 May), it was not possible for the
organization to explain to the hostage-takers in sufficient detail that it
was withdrawing certain services but not others. It should be noted that
the accounts of the hostages themselves and those of the delegates present
in Ngesselema on 9 May agree that the hostage-takers were by then expecting
imminent action by the Indonesian armed forces.

f) How did the ICRC respond to the allegations and how did it handle public
information in their wake?

>From the moment the first accusations were voiced following the military
intervention, the ICRC kept a low profile and declined to respond to the
accusations (issuing neither confirmation nor denial). This was done in
order not to jeopardize the organization's other activities in the area.
Apart from a report on the events drawn up by the head of delegation and
received in Geneva two months after they had occurred, no detailed analysis
or thorough investigation was carried out. The approach taken by the ICRC's
Department of Operations is also open to question as it was limited to
asking the head of delegation to make informal inquiries of the Indonesian
authorities as to whether the allegations had any basis in reality. No
reply was received to those inquiries and no additional steps were
considered. Finally, the ICRC failed to defend staff members who were
publicly accused of collusion with the Indonesian armed forces.
Unfortunately, it was only after the publication of the ELSHAM report and
the broadcast of Mark Davis's documentary that the ICRC approached the
Indonesian authorities formally and in writing. No reply has thus far been
received.

3. CONCLUSIONS

a) The information gathered in the course of Mr Obuchowicz's investigation
enabled the ICRC to state categorically that Sylviane Bonadei did not take
part in the military operation carried out in Ngesselema on 9 May 1996 to
liberate the hostages held by the Free Papua Movement. For three years the
ICRC failed to unequivocally deny Ms Bonadei's involvement. The
organization owes it to her to take a clear position on the matter.

b) The ICRC withdrew from its role as a neutral intermediary in accordance
with its established policy in such matters. Although the dangerous
circumstances in which it was taken are sufficient to explain this abrupt
decision, the head of delegation's handling of the situation failed to
ensure adequate internal communication and lacked consistency with regard
to its consequences.

c) There can be no doubt that the military forces that took action on 9 May
1996 in Ngesselema made perfidious use of the ICRC's role in the affair
(i.e. the white helicopter). They may also have misused the emblem, though
this has not been definitely proved.

d) The ICRC was tardy in approaching the Indonesian authorities and made no
attempt to approach the Papuan representatives with a view to verifying the
allegations. Steps must be taken to restore dialogue with the Papuans.

e) The ICRC was not sufficiently assiduous in following up the affair, in
dealing with its staff and, in particular, in handling its relationship
with the media.
++++

**************************************************
Paul Barber
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign,
25 Plovers Way, Alton Hampshire GU34 2JJ
Tel/Fax: 1420 80153
Email: plovers@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Defending victims of oppression in Indonesia,
East Timor, West Papua and Aceh, 1973-1999

=======================================================

=====================================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN]Fwd: [wpapua] ENGLISH - PRESS RELEASE (PDP) HASIL RAPAT
Date: 4/19/00 10:54:10 AM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org (Admin)
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org
To: kabar-irian@irja.org

Too much mail? Try our digest version. Info available at
http://www.irja.org/conf.htm

See http://www.irja.org/eypij.htm for the correct meaning of Irian

From: Sem Karoba
Reply-To: Sem Karoba

PRESIDIUM OF PAPUA COUNCIL
POINTS OF PRESS RELEASE
MINUTES OF MEETING OF THE PRESIDIUM COUNCIL OF PAPUA

INTRODUCTION
a. The resurrection of struggles of Papua people in the
end of the 20th century
offers one political position from the people: "To stay
with the Unitary
Republic of Indonesia or to separate from it".

b. To formulate various agenda for priority struggles,
the Council holds a
MEETING OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL on April 16th -
18th, 2000 in Hotel Diah
Graha, Angkasa Indah Numbay.
c. The meeting the points with the following purposes:
1. Evaluate activities post MUBES (General Assembly),
i.e., 23-36 February 2000;

2. To plan agenda of activities according to the scales
of values and
priorities;
3. Approve the Proposal for the Papua Congress 2000
4. Establish Basic Guidelines for the Papua Council
(Panel and Presidium);
5. Formulate Master Programme: Direction and Strategy of
Papua Struggles Pre and
Post Papua Congress 2000).

MINUTES OF THE MEETING
After thorough and in depth discussions on above agenda
items, the following
decisions are taken by the Council:
a. Decision of Presidium Council of Papua No:
A.02/KEP-PDP/IV-2000
regarding Papua Congress 2000.
1. Papua Congress 2000 is the Second Congress (The
Second Papua Congress was
held in October 1961)
2. The Congress will be held on 29 May - 03 June 2000
3. The Theme of the Congress is "Let us correct the
History of West Papua",
whereas the Sub Theme is "Papua People are determined to
Promote Democracy and
Human Rights based on the Principles of Truth and
Justice towards an Independent
West Papua".
4. Papua Congress 2000 will be held in Port Numbay
(Jayapura).
5. The Congress will be attended by 3000-5000 people
that are categorised into
groups of participants (will be arranged in details by
the Congress Committee)
6. The composition of the Committee of the Congress is
as follows:

Chair: Agus A. Alua
Vice Chair I: Laurence Mehue
Vice Chair II: Abina Wasanggai

Secretary: Thaha M. Alhamid
Vice Secretary: Zadrak Taime

Treasurer: Ida Faidiban
Vice Treasurer: Bas Yufuway

Spokesperson for the Committee: Secretary of the
Committee
7. The Committee will be members and organisers for
sections with one Committee
of Directors.
8. Before the Congress there will be socialisation
activities in all regions of
West Papua to build united and one perception between
the members of the
Council, members of the Panels and all Papua people.
9. For this, on 01 May 2000, the Council declares as the
day for socialisation
process of the Papua Congress 2000.
10. The Papua Presidium Council is divided into some
Teams of Socialisation
Processes throughout West Papua and other places where
needed.
11. In this Easter Week, The Council wishes all Papuan
Christians Presidium
Dewan Papua, "Happy Easter! May the remembrance of the
resurrection of the Lord
revive a new wave of power towards a New Papua with
peace, justice and
integrity.
12. Remembering that Papua Congress 2000 is a New
Democratic Festival that we
can celebrate now after Indonesia enters reformation
era, the Council suggests
all people who live in Papua to welcome this Congress
momentum with thanksgiving
and peace. We should avoid issues that invite conflicts
that want to disturb the
congress. To all non-Papuans who live in Papua, we
guarantee that the Papua
Congress 2000 is not to push you out from Papua land,
nor to fight against you.
This congress is a political momentum for Papua people
who voice their demand
for their Sovereignty to be recognised in a democratic
and peaceful manner and
in order to uplift the Truth and Justice in Papua land.

CLOSURE
These are points of press release from the Presidium of
Papua Council in the
Papua Congress II, 2000

Thank you very much.

PRESIDIUM OF PAPUA COUNCIL

Theys H. Eluay
Chairman

Tom Beanal
Chairman

Moderators
Dr. Benny Giay, Pdt. Herman Awom, S. Th Fransalbert Joku

Sent by Toshi Kenzo MDP
Translated by the Collective Editorial Board of the
Diary of OPM

www.westpapua.net
Diary of Online Papua Mouthpiece (OPM)
E-mail: westpapua_net@yahoo.com
Mobile (UK) +44 7901 625133

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----- End forwarded message -----

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com

NOTE: "IRJA.org Inc., the moderator/s and subscribers do not neccessarily
hold to or support the opinions and views expressed in these postings. They
are posted for their news/interest content. "

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==============================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Source information
Date: 4/19/00 11:09:19 AM Central Daylight Time
From: admin@irja.org
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org

Too much mail? Try our digest version. Info available at
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Dear all,
This evening (the 19th) we received the below:
--Admin

told me that the Indo Consulate there in Australia contacted both
and asked them to come in and meet with them. The
Consulate paid their fares. They wanted to speak with them about the
situation in IJ. Apparently they do intend to offer autonomy. We are so
glad to hear how seriously the Indonesian government is viewing this.
Gus Dur is a good man for this time.

Sincerely,

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com

NOTE: "IRJA.org Inc., the moderator/s and subscribers do not neccessarily
hold to or support the opinions and views expressed in these postings. They
are posted for their news/interest content. "

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"parenthesis") to majordomo@irja.org

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=======================================================

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Billions set aside for Scholarships
Date: 4/19/00 2:32:41 PM Central Daylight Time
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See http://www.irja.org/eypij.htm for the correct meaning of Irian

April 20th 2000

Irian Jaya saves billions for scholarships

JAKARTA (IO) Former governor of Irian Jaya
(Papua) Freddy Numberi says that during his term in office from
1998-2000, he saved Rp3 billion (US$391,000) in
administration funds, which will be used to provide scholarships to
students from the easternmost province.

Numberi, who is Administrative Reforms Minister,
yesterday said that apart from saving money, he also managed to
pay off a debt of Rp3 billion, which he had inherited
from the former provincial administration, Antara reported.

"I was so happy during the April 4 ceremony at which I
was replaced by my deputy who is now acting governor,
because the local governments debt has been paid off
completely," he said in the provincial capital, Jayapura.

"And I was able to save money that will used to
provide scholarships to native Irianese, so they can further their
studies and improve the quality of human resources in
Irian Jaya."

The scholarships will be made available to gifted high
school students, undergraduates, and post-graduates seeking
masters or doctorate degrees.

Numberi said tight selection criteria for the
scholarships will ensure the money doesnt go to the wrong people.

Apart from the money saved by Numberi, the local
government started the new fiscal year this month with Rp20
billion (US$2.6 million) to be used to cover tuition
fees for all school students in the province.

The assistance will be a great benefit to children
from impoverished families, said Numberi.

The former governor said he realized that more money
had to be spent on education, after visiting remote villages in
Biak Numfor regency, where many children cannot
continue their studies and have to drop out of school because
their parents cannot afford tuition fees.

He said many drop-outs feel ashamed to go back to
school, because whenever they show up, they are always asked
to pay their outstanding fees.

Therefore, said Numberi, it was necessary to allocate
special funds to ensure that all native children in the province
could get an education.

Much of the money spent on scholarships in Irian Jaya
is provided by gold and copper mining giant, PT Freeport
Indonesia.

Freeport, a subsidiary of New Orleans-based Freeport
McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc, made an average profit of just
under US$2 million a week in 1999 from the vast mine
it operates in mountains near Timika.

Although the central government has a small stake in
the project, the provincial government has none. Historically,
decisions relating to the controversial mine by-passed
the provincial authorities, like those relating to other
multinational mining firms in Indonesia.

Freeport is mining one of the worlds largest deposits
of copper and gold. It began operations in Irian Jaya in 1968
and in recent years has become a constant target of
public criticism, particularly since former president Soeharto
was forced out of office two years ago.

Freeport is also one of Indonesias largest corporate
income tax payers. It argues that it makes significant economic
contributions to the country through taxes and a
scheme to donate a small proportion of its revenues to ethnic
groups in the area of its mine.

The company is, directly or indirectly, the main
employer in and around Timika and Tembagapura. Neither town
existed before the mine opened.

Freeport employs a number of Irianese, but their jobs
tend to be lower-paid because they generally lack the right
skills for the better paid ones. Freeport says it is
trying to promote employment at the higher levels in the long run
through the scholarship scheme, but it is years away.

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") www.kabar-irian.com

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IRIAN JAYA (WEST PAPUA, NEW GUINEA): THE QUEST FOR INDEPENDENCE-April 20-April 30, 2000

THE RECORD April 20-April 30, 2000

E-Mail:isssues@lykos.com

THE RECORD
April 20-April 30, 2000

E-Mail:
isssues@lykos.com