Irian Jaya (West Papua, New Guinea) Seeks Independence From Indonesia-Feb., 2000

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IRIAN JAYA (WEST PAPUA, NEW GUINEA): THE QUEST FOR INDEPENDENCE (HOME PAGE & CURRENT MONTH'S NEWS)
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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Opinion: Indonesia's democracy on trial
Date: 2/29/00 8:31:13 PM Central Standard Time
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The Independent – Bangladesh
Indonesia's democracy on trial
2/29/00
ABM Ziaur Rahman

News on Indonesia has been occupying the headlines of
major news
media of the world for several years. Initially the
reason
was-Indonesia's miraculous economic growth and later
its economic
turmoil. But of late political unrest has brought the
country into
international focus.Indonesia has been undergoing
political, social
and economic turmoil, much of which has been the
creation of long
years of autocratic rule. Installation of a
democratic government
was supposed to salvage the country from political
uncertainty. The
Indonesian economy has not improved much since then.
Secessionist
tendency that flared up after the independence of
East Timor has now
spilled over throughout the country. Other regions
like Aceh, Ambon,
North Malaku, Irian Jaya and Lombok have also raised
their voice to
secede from Indonesia and the growth of violence
concerning that
issue is quite noticeable. The history of Indonesian
politics is
more or less similar to the history of most of the
third world
countries. And like most of those countries ,
Indonesia is also
trying to install democratic rule . However , the
odds against
growth of democracy in Indonesia are many.Legacy Of
Military Rule:
During Suharto's regime, to facilitate and strengthen
his autocratic
rule, the Indonesian military was allowed to
interfere in almost
every sphere of the country's administrative
machinery. The armed
forces mostly ran the outer provinces as their own
fiefs, and in a
brutal fashion. Even, seats in the Indonesian
parliament were
reserved for the military. In East Timor, the
military armed and
backed shadowy militias who terrorised the population
and went on
the rampage when it opted for independence. All this
has discredited
the armed forces in the eyes of many Indonesians. The
army still
dominates the administrative machinery. President
Wahid is well
aware of that and in the three months since he took
office, Wahid
has been engaged in what his aides' call
"psychological war" with
the military, making efforts to loosen the generals'
grip on the
levers of power. He has taken steps towards putting
the armed forces
under civilian control. Mostly the battle has been
about separating
the palace staff from the five other departments that
make up the
State Secretariat, the 3,000-strong body that handles
the
executive's administrative chores. In a bid to bring
army under
civilian control, he signed a decree that would
require any officer
serving the cabinet to resign from the army. He
signed an edict
depriving the president's four adjutants of the right
to monitor
Wahid's visitors and outgoing correspondence. The
number of senior
military officers in the president's office has been
cut down. The
President has announced that in six years' time the
armed force
would lose all their seats in the parliament. He has
also broken new
ground by picking a civilian for the post of defence
minister and an
admiral, who is seen as more neutral, as commander of
the armed
forces. The first major problem that President Wahid
had to face
vis-à-vis the military was the removal of the
Coordinating Minister
for Political Affairs and Security, General Wiranto
from his
cabinet. The situation became so tense that the US
warned the army
of the consequences of a possible coup. Although, a
risky gamble,
Wahid survived that attempt in establishing
authority. Wahid's
dismissal of General Wiranto symbolises the political
end of
Suharto's New Order Regime -- something that was not
accomplished
when the long time leader was brought down in May
1998. US
Ambassador to the UN Richard Holbrooke declared
Washington's
sympathy for Indonesia's reform efforts, "because
what we are
watching is a great drama, a struggle between the
forces of
democracy and reform and the forces of
backward-looking corruption
and militarism." The President is in a difficult
position regarding
the reform of the Indonesian military. If he pushes
the reform too
far, the disgruntled officers could try to
destabilise or overthrow
the government. But Wahid needs the active support of
the strong
central control of the military in order to keep the
diverse
archipelago within a single nation. At the same time
he cannot grant
the illegal privileges that the military used to
enjoy during the
autocratic regimes. So he cannot afford to push away
the military
too far or draw it too close that his own existence
or democracy
comes under threat. So he has to deal with the reform
business in a
cautious and subtle manner.In addition to the reforms
in the
military, structural reform of the administrative
machinery is
necessary to bring efficiency and curb the
impediments towards the
growth of democracy. Ethno-Religious Cleavages:
Political analysts
have pointed out that the existence of ethnic groups
is one of the
major hindrances on the path to democracy in the
country. Indonesia
is essentially a pluralist society, composed of
diverse cultures,
religions and ethnic groups. It is hard to restore
unity in such an
extremely diverse country. The problem of the
minority, if not
properly addressed, always carries the germ of
divisiveness. The
opinion of the majority, in most of the cases, goes
against the
interest of the minorities. Ever since its
independence, the
problems of the ethnic tribes were there but they
were not so
intense until the recent economic doldrums upset
everything. Under
the autocratic rule the interests of the minorities
were kept
unattended. But with the establishment of democracy,
those demands
have surfaced. Indonesia, crippled by debt, pulled
taut by regional
resentments, driven by religious and ethnic divides -
is passing
through a crisis.A belief has grown among officials
and observers
that much of the violence in the country-from North
Maluku, Ambon
and Lombok in the southeast to tiny Binton Island and
Aceh in the
west--is either partly or wholly due to manipulation
by elements of
the Suharto-era military machine, loosely linked
Islamic militants
and vested business interests, all aimed at sowing
doubts about
Wahid's ability to rule. The military has strongly
denied the
allegations. An end to the separatist blood shed in
Aceh and the
Muslim-Christian violence in Moluccan islands-- the
thorniest task
facing the new government--is also vital for
Indonesia's economic
recovery. Wahid has made efforts to redress their
wounds. He might
offer the provinces greater autonomy and a larger
share of the
profits made from their natural resources. It has
been observed that
the Indonesian navy has been more effective in
maintaining order and
curbing secessionist tendency in that archipelago.
The appointment
of an admiral for the post of the Chief of the Armed
Staff is one
sign that the government is effectively trying to
curb the
secessionist tendency. Irian Jaya has also been
allowed to change
its name to Papua. His trips abroad helped to ensure
that foreign
help was unavailable to other Indonesian provinces,
such as Aceh and
Irian Jaya, where separatists are active . After
meeting Wahid, East
Asian leaders declared their support for his attempts
to maintain
the integrity of Indonesia. East Timor was correctly
seen as a
special case. There is also the rising anti-Chinese
tide among the
Indonesian populace. That is a dangerous sign for
their economy
since the Chinese community could play an important
role to
revitalise Indonesian economy. The autocratic regimes
have totally
alienated them but since the revitalisation of the
economy is
important, the Wahid government is assuring the
Chinese community of
all kinds of assistance.While some analysts have
described effective
democracy as the foe of the ethnic groups but it
should not be
forgotten that tolerance is one of the chief virtues
of democracy.
And democracy is supposed to accommodate diversity
for greater
national interests.Economic Reconstruction: The major
challenge that
Wahid will have to face is the revitalisation of
Indonesian economy.
If he fails to carry out the necessary economic
reforms to
restructure the economy within a short time, then he
would certainly
have to face tougher challenges than those he is
facing now. As one
observer has pointed out, people usually overlook the
failures of
the government as long as the state of the economy is
healthy. If
the President failed to remove General Wiranto from
his cabinet, he
would have been judged to have completely lost his
grip on power.
That could shatter what little confidence there is in
Indonesia's
economic recovery. It could also inflame passions in
the country's
provinces, several of which are convulsed by communal
or separatist
violence. But the real danger is the one that
remains: a sustained
attack on Wahid's ability to govern in the form of a
campaign to
destabilise the country.The success of Indonesian
democracy would
encourage other countries of that region to increase
transparency,
efficiency and to reduce corruption. This would work
to enhance the
process of their development. Moreover due to its
sheer size,
population, resources and geographical location ,
Indonesia is an
important country to the West. The West would be
interested to see
the continuation of the democratic process out of
their enlightened
self interest'.
--Research Associate, Biiss

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN]President asks Freeport to heed local aspirations
Date: 2/29/00 8:29:08 PM Central Standard Time
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Indonesian Observer
February 29, 2000
President asks Freeport to heed local aspirations

(NOTE: How about the President taking his own advise
heeding local aspirations? - Anonymous contributor)

JAKARTA (IO) — President Abdurrahman Wahid said
yesterday Indonesia
will respect contract agreements with PT Freeport
Indonesia, but he
expressed the wish that the company will help the
government to
fulfill the people’s aspirations.

President Wahid’s statement was made when meeting
with Henry
Kissinger, a former US secretary of state and a board
member of
Freeport McMoRan, in the Bina Graha presidential
office here
yesterday.

"President Gus Dur (Wahid’s nickname) has stated that
the contract
which has been signed will be implemented by
Indonesia, but the
president also asked for an understanding from
Freeport in
connection with people’s aspiration," Foreign
Minister Alwi Shihab
told the press when accompanying Kissinger after the
meeting.

Freeport, the US mining company, has held a
concession for
exploiting copper and gold in Irian Jaya since 1960.
Local people
have complained that the presence of the company in
the region has
not contributed to the local population.

Energy and Mining Minister Soesilo Bambang Yudhoyono
said recently
that the Indonesian government will revise its
contract with
Freeport.

"The contract will not be totally revised, but there
may be special
concessions which are not in line with the contract
as an effort to
meet people’s aspiration," said Shihab.

Meanwhile, Kissinger said that that the contract
between Indonesia
and Freeport must be respected because it is an
interest of
Indonesia because the country want investment from
all over the
world.

"I refer to the foreign minister’s statement that the
contract
itself must be respected, because this is in the
interests of
Indonesia since you want investment to come from all
over the
world," Kissinger said.

But Kissinger also expressed the hope that Freeport
may possibly
negotiate the contract again with Indonesian
government. "In that
spirit, I am hopeful that a constructive solution can
be reached,"
according to Kissinger.

Separatist movements
In a separate meeting yesterday, Kissinger said the
United States
has never been involved in the separatist movement in
the Indonesian
province of Irian Jaya.

"The US has never given its support to parties who
want to

separate from Indonesia," he was quoted as saying by
Yasril Ananta
Baharuddin, chairman of the House of Representative’s
defense
commission.

Kissinger, in a morning talk with House leaders, said
personally, he
wants to see a strong and united Indonesia.

"If a province separates [from Indonesia], it will be
followed by
the others," he said.

He said the experience of Yugoslavia and the former
USSR also began
from sporadic separatist movements such as what
Indonesia has been
facing.

The commissioner of PT Freeport Indonesia also gave
assurances that
his giant mining company will not interfere in
Indonesia’s domestic
affairs, including in Irian Jaya, the base of
Freeport’s mining
operations.

If such an interference occurs, Kissinger vowed to
resign from the
company.

On foreign investments in Indonesia, the former US
state secretary
criticized the Indonesian government for not giving
certainty to
working contracts signed in the past.

He said investors hope the government would respect
the contracts
despite a leadership turnover.

"Investors also expect an assurance in law
enforcement," he was
quoted as saying by Baharuddin.

Besides meeting with the House leaders, led by House
Speaker Akbar
Tandjung, Kissinger also met with President
Abdurrahman Wahid and
Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri. He had held
talks with
Attorney General Marzuki Darusman on Saturday night.

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN]Indonesia Sets up Team to Probe Freeport in March
Date: 2/29/00 8:29:05 PM Central Standard Time
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Tuesday, February 29 6:44 PM SGT
Indonesia Sets up Team to Probe Freeport in March
JAKARTA, Feb 29 Asia Pulse

A fact finding team will start work early March to
investigate
charges against PT Freeport Indonesia, a U.S. copper
and gold mining
company in Irian Jaya.

Mines and Energy Minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
said he had
talked with the company leaders on the plan to send
the team to
Irian Jaya to investigate the charges that the
company had caused
environmental damage and failed to comply with its
contract.

The team is made up of officials of the mines and
energy ministry,
finance ministry, the office of the state minister
for the
environment and Irian Jaya regional and district
administrations.

Some parliament members have said Freeport have
failed to comply
with the requirement to divest its share to
Indonesian partner after
years of operation in the country. The company
started operation in
the country in 1968.

Under the foreign investment law that year, a foreign
company was
required to divest part of its shares to local
partner after a
certain period. But later, the government launced a
series of
deregulation measure allowing 100% ownership of a
company by foreign
investors.
-- (ANTARA)

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Various on Nabire incident: Shooting and riots
Date: 2/29/00 8:27:20 PM Central Standard Time
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Police, separatists clash in Indonesia's Irian Jaya
province
February 29, 2000
Web posted at: 6:29 PM HKT (1029 GMT)
JAKARTA, Indonesia (Reuters)

Clashes between Indonesian police and independence
supporters in the
vast eastern province of Irian Jaya killed one person
and wounded
several others, police and witnesses said on Tuesday.

The clashes broke out on Monday evening in the
coastal town of
Nabire, some 3,225 km (2,000 miles) east of Jakarta.

Police and journalists in the province gave different
versions of
the incident. Journalists in the capital Jayapura,
quoting
witnesses, said it broke out after police tried to
lower a
separatist flag.

They said one student was shot dead with a bullet to
the head and
several others were wounded in their legs.

"Witnesses said that the student was shot in the head
during the
clashes," one journalist said.

Police in Jayapura confirmed the death but they
denied that local
police were responsible.

"The student was shot 750 meters away from the site
of the incident
and according to the autopsy results, he was shot
with an air rifle.
The police never use such weapons," Brigadier-General
S.Y. Wenas,
Irian Jaya police chief, told Reuters.

He said the clashes broke out when a group of people
wielding
machetes, bows and arrows attacked the police
headquarters in Nabire
while police were playing a game of volleyball.

"The police never lowered the flag and the
headquarters is about one
km away from where the flag is," Wenas said.

Sources in Nabire, a remote town on the northern
coast of Irian Jaya
with limited telephone communications, could not be
contacted for
comment.

In recent months the flag of the separatist Free
Papua Movement has
been repeatedly raised in protests across Irian Jaya,
which have
sometimes turned violent.

Although officially such protests are not allowed, on
several
occasions police have allowed the separatist flag to
fly in order to
avoid a confrontation.

Resource-rich Irian Jaya, the western half of New
Guinea, is one of
Indonesia's separatist trouble spots, with
pro-independence fighters
active in the province.

Support for independence is strong and widespread and
has gained
momentum since East Timor's bloody separation from
Indonesia last
year.
-- Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tuesday, February 29 1:34 PM SGT
Man killed as police open fire on mob attacking Irian
Jaya police HQ
JAKARTA, Feb 29 (AFP)

One man was killed when police opened fire on angry
mobs attacking a
mobile brigade police (Brimob) headquarters in
Indonesia's
easternmost province of Irian Jaya, police and a
report said
Tuesday.

Some 50 residents of Nabire, 560 kilometers (360
miles) east of the
capital of Jayapura, many armed with arrows, swords
and spears,
attacked the headquarters late on Monday afternoon,
the state Antara
news agency said.

Antara said one of the attackers, identified as
Manase Erary, died
when the Brimob troops opened fire to stop the mobs
from entering
their compound.

An officer on guard in Nabire told AFP: "The result
of the autopsy
shows that the man died after he was shot in the
head." The officer
refused to be identified or to make further comment.

Quoting local police chief Lieutenant Colonel Faisal,
Antara said
five men in the crowd, who called themselves the
Papua Task Force,
had been arrested following the attack.

Faisal denied the victim was killed by Brimob troops,
saying the
autopsy showed the protester was killed by a hunting
rifle bullet
lodged in his brain.

One Brimob officer also suffered a serious stomach
injury after he
was shot by an arrow, Faisal added.

Earlier this month, nine policemen were injured and
three residents
suffered gunshot wounds when police opened fire
during similar
attacks on the local state radio station (RRI) and a
police office
in Merauke.

In late January an RRI station was also vandalized in
the Irian Jaya
town of Fakfak. That attack was reportedly provoked
because the
station referred to the province as Irian Jaya rather
than Papua.

Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid recenty
restored the
province's old name of Papua to appease people
opposed to the
Indonesian-given name of Irian Jaya. Parliament has
yet to approve
the change.

Calls for an independent West Papua state in Irian
Jaya have been on
the rise since the fall of former president Suharto
in May 1998.

Suharto's successor B.J. Habibie had been vague about
the
independence demand in Irian Jaya while Wahid, who
took over in
October, has flatly rejected any proposal that the
province should
break away from Indonesia.

A Free Papua state was declared by Irian Jaya leaders
while the
territory was still a Dutch colony on December 1,
1961.

Indonesia claimed Dutch New Guinea as its 26th
province and renamed
it Irian Jaya in 1963 -- a move recognised by the
United Nations in
1969.

But the people of the province, which shares a land
border with
independent Papua New Guinea, consider themselves
closer to the
Melanesian people of the South Pacific than the
dominant Javanese in
Indonesia.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Jakarta Post.com
National News
March 01, 2000
One shot dead as police open fire in Irian violence

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): One man was killed when
police opened
fire on mobs attacking a Mobile Brigade (Brimob)
police headquarters
in the easternmost province of Irian Jaya, police
said on Tuesday.

Some 50 residents of Nabire, 560 kilometers west of
the provincial
capital of Jayapura, many armed with arrows, swords
and spears,
attacked the headquarters late on Monday afternoon,
Antara quoted
local police chief Lt. Col. Faisal A.N. as saying.

The Institute of Human Rights Studies and Advocacy
(IHRSTAD)
identified the casualty as Manase Erary, 28, a
student at the local
Public Administration Institute, who died when Brimob
troops opened
fire to stop the mobs from entering their compound.

IHRSTAD's executive director, Aloysius Renrawin, told
The Jakarta
Post on Tuesday that the latest violence followed a
weapons sweep by
Brimob troops against the proindependence supporters
who were
heading home in the Karang Tumaritis district. The
group carried the
Morning Star rebel flag.

"Manase was shot when he was trying to calm the two
warring groups,"
Aloysius said.

Faisal said five men in the crowd, who claimed to be
members of the
Papua Task Force, were arrested following the attack.

He denied, however, that Manase was killed by Brimob
troops, saying
the autopsy showed the protester was killed by a
hunting rifle
bullet, which is not used by Brimob.

One Brimob officer also suffered a serious stomach
injury after he
was hit by an arrow, Faisal said, adding that another
protester had
been shot in the legs.

IHRSTAD activists said six other civilians suffered
gunshot wounds
in the clash.

Tension continued to grip the small town on Tuesday,
with many shops
seen closed and people refraining themselves from
outdoor
activities.

Earlier this month, nine policemen were injured and
three residents
suffered gunshot wounds when police opened fire
during similar
attacks on the local state radio station RRI and a
police office in
Merauke.

In late January an RRI station was also vandalized in
the Irian Jaya
town of Fakfak, because the station referred to the
province as
Irian Jaya rather than Papua.

President Abdurrahman Wahid recently restored the
province's old
name of Papua to appease people opposed to the
Indonesian-given name
of Irian Jaya. The House of Representatives has yet
to approve the
change.

Calls for an independent West Papua state in Irian
Jaya have been on
the rise since the fall of former president Soeharto
in May 1998.

On Saturday 500 people attending the first Papuan
Congress renewed
the independence demand and rejected the 1969
plebiscite that
incorporated the territory into Indonesia. (eba)

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: re: Irian Jaya Refugees In PNG Wish To meet Gus Dur
Date: 2/29/00 7:56:47 PM Central Standard Time
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From: Ottis Simopiaref

March 1st, 2000

I wonder after reading the following news from Antara
that West Papuan
refugees in PNG would like to meet Gus Dur for a
dialogue. My question is
"What is to be expected from such dialogue?" The answer
to this question is
not mentioned there.

When Gus Dur visited Holland in the beginning of this
month he made a
statement to the mass media here that the people who are
pro-independence=
for
West Papua from Indonesia are small handfool minority
group. He will make the
same statement to the mass media in PNG. The purposes
of his world-round=
trip
is to gain international support for his government's
effort in the Indonesia
economic recovery and against separatist movements such
as GAM and OPM.

Gus Dur's position is clear that West Papua is an
integral part of Indonesia. =

West Papuan refugees in PNG should also make it clear to
the president th=
at
the Indonesian government should recognize the right to
self-determination of
the West Papuan people. By doing so the position of
the West Papuan refugees
in PNG will be justified that they escape political
opression killings,
torture, rapes and disappereances in West Papua.
(Ottis)***
-----------------

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: Reuters: Police, Separatists Clash in Indon's Irian Jaya Province
Date: 2/29/00 5:26:44 PM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Reuters, February 29, 2000

Police, Separatists Clash in Indonesian Province

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Clashes between Indonesian police and independence
supporters in the vast eastern province of Irian Jaya killed one person and
wounded several others, police and witnesses said on Tuesday.

The clashes broke out on Monday evening in the coastal town of Nabire, some
2,000 miles east of Jakarta.

Police and journalists in the province gave different versions of the
incident. Journalists in the capital, Jayapura, quoting witnesses, said it
broke out after police tried to lower a separatist flag.

They said one student was shot dead with a bullet to the head and several
others were wounded in their legs.

"Witnesses said that the student was shot in the head during the clashes,"
one journalist said.

Police in Jayapura confirmed the death but they denied that local police were
responsible.

"The student was shot 750 meters away from the site of the incident and
according to the autopsy results, he was shot with an air rifle. The police
never use such weapons," Brigadier-General S.Y. Wenas, Irian Jaya police
chief, told Reuters.

He said the clashes broke out when a group of people wielding machetes, bows
and arrows attacked the police headquarters in Nabire while police were
playing a game of volleyball.

"The police never lowered the flag and the headquarters is about 1 km away
from where the flag is," Wenas said.

Sources in Nabire, a remote town on the northern coast of Irian Jaya with
limited telephone communications, could not be contacted for comment.

In recent months the flag of the separatist Free Papua Movement has been
repeatedly raised in protests across Irian Jaya, which have sometimes turned
violent.

Although officially such protests are not allowed, on several occasions
police have allowed the separatist flag to fly in order to avoid a
confrontation.

Resource-rich Irian Jaya, the western half of New Guinea, is one of
Indonesia's separatist trouble spots, with pro-independence fighters active
in the province.

Support for independence is strong and widespread and has gained momentum
since East Timor's bloody separation from Indonesia last year.

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

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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: Kissinger's real purpose in Indonesia
Date: 2/29/00 5:26:31 PM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org, reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News


South China Morning Post
Tuesday, February 29, 2000

INDONESIA

Kissinger named as adviser

> VAUDINE ENGLAND

Former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger was appointed an adviser to
President Abdurrahman Wahid on general affairs and socio-political matters
yesterday on a brief visit to Jakarta.

But the real business of their meeting lay elsewhere. Dr Kissinger is on the
board of Freeport McMoran Gold and Copper, the majority shareholder in the
massive Freeport mine in Irian Jaya.

The Indonesian Government recently rejected an environmental impact
assessment produced by Freeport, and says it wants to review Freeport's
contract to operate in Indonesia. Dr Kissinger urged the Government to honour
the contract, saying "it is in the interests of Indonesia" to do so.

In 1974, it was Dr Kissinger, backed by then US president Gerry Ford, who
gave the green light to the Suharto government for its invasion of East
Timor. "Henry wants to erase a few black marks from history," said a
businessman close to the statesman.

[Correction: the Ford-Kissinger visit to Jakarta was on 6 December 1975,
the day before
Indonesian launched its all-out invasion of East Timor. TAPOL]
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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: VB: Not a single Indonesian "imperialist" bullet hit me: Aceh rebel leader
Date: 2/29/00 1:52:42 PM Central Standard Time
From: abdurrauf.syahbuddin@swipnet.se (Syahbuddin Abdurrauf)
To: Undisclosed.Recipients@mb07.swip.net

Tuesday, February 29 7:19 PM SGT
Not a single Indonesian "imperialist" bullet hit me: Aceh rebel leader
JAKARTA, Feb 29 (AFP) -
A top rebel leader in Indonesia's troubled province of Aceh denied military claims he was heavily wounded in a shootout with Indonesian soldiers in mid-January, a report said Tuesday.

In an interview with the Forum weekly magazine in his hideout in an Aceh jungle, Abdullah Syafei, the army commander of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), said the claim he was shot and close to dying was "a lie."

"Not a single bullet from Indonesian imperialists hit my body. It's a lie," Syafei said, showing his chest, stomach and legs to the interviewer.

Syafei said in the past the Indonesian military had made the same claim eight times about Sweden-based GAM supreme commander Hasan Tiro.

"And he is just fine," he said.

The GAM has fought a guerrilla war against Jakarta rule since 1976.

The rebel leader said he got a leak through a two-way radio communication of a plan by the military to conduct a raid on their camp in the JiemJiem area of Pidie district on January 16.

"So we set them up. At least 50 people from the Indonesian military side were killed. Praise be to God, no GAM member was killed," in the encounter, he said.

The military has said only one soldier was wounded in the skirmish.

On February 21 military spokesman Air Vice Marshal Graito Usodo said in Jakarta a captured guerrilla, identified as Sofyan, had told the army Syafei was shot in the shootout in JiemJiem and was dying.

Syafei told Forum he did know Sofyan.

"According to reports he is a criminal who was evading debts and then claimed to be GAM's intelligence man to intimidate people," he said.

He also denied the military's claims thousands of separatists have surrendered and pledged loyalty to Indonesia.

"It's another progapanda and lie. The AGAM (the army wing) will choose martyrdom than surrender," he said.

"They are only villagers. They were herded to an open field at gunpoint and asked to read out the loyalty pledge," he said.

"The people stay solid with GAM. We have no intention to surrender. Our commitment remains: freedom or death," he said.

Aceh, an oil-rich province in the westernmost tip of Sumatra island, has been wracked by daily clashes between Indonesian troops and the separatists.

More than 200 people have been killed so far this year.

A decade of military operations against rebels from the Free Aceh movement (GAM) ended in 1998, but the syphoning off of the province's resources has fuelled popular resentment against Jakarta.

President Abdurrahman Wahid has ruled out growing calls for a referndum on self-determination, proposing only a vote on whether the province can adopt Islamic law.

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

Information Bureau of
the Free Acheh Movement In Europe
P.O.Box: 2084, S - 145 02 Norsborg
Stockholm - Sweden
Fax: 00 - 46 - 8531 88460

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

Subj: W.Papuan leader says independence struggle to be "waged peacefully"
Date: 2/29/00 9:37:28 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Excerpt from second report herein: In 1962, the UN went in as peacekeepers in
West Papua because a war was about to break out with the Netherlands-New
Guinea, but what the Indonesians did was they illegally built up troops in
the country, and when the UN left, the Indonesians were supposed to hold a
plebiscite which was later held, and called the act of free choice.

But what happened was the Indonesians chose a thousand-and-twenty-five
delegates from the eight provinces of what was then West Irian, and got them
to vote on behalf of the eight-hundred-thousand Papuans. They took the
thousand-and-twenty-five delegates were chosen, put them in barbed-wire cages
around Jayapura, gave them presents and some money and said if you don't vote
for Indonesia, it will be seen as being treason. One Papuan participant told
me that they were instructed to vote for inclusion in Indonesia or their
tongues would be cut out and then "stuffed back into your Papuan mouths." And
the world just let that happen.

also: ABC transcript on W Papua congress

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
Tuesday, February 29, 2000
Source: Antara news agency, Jakarta, in English 28 Feb 00

Papuan leader says independence struggle to be "waged peacefully"

Jayapura, 28th February: Participants of a Papua grand congress have
expressed appreciation to President Abdurrahman Wahid for his full attention
to
the cries of the people of the easternmost Indonesian province.

One of the head of state's attention was the change in the name of Irian
Jaya
Province into Papua Province, according to the seven-point Papuan political
communique of the grand congress held in Jayapura, 23rd-26th February, 2000
[sentence as received].

Chief organizer Herman Awom told the press here Sunday [27th February] that
the congress has also elected Theys Eluay and Tom Beanal as chief executives
of
the Papuan Presidium Council.

The congress also conveyed appreciation to B.J. Habibie for receiving Irian
Jayans to a dialogue on 26th February, 1999 when he was still president, Awom
said.

The Papuan Political Communique, he added, also questioned the legitimacy
of
the transfer of West Irian (Irian Jaya) from the Dutch to the Indonesian
government through the United Nations on 1st May, 1963.

Therefore, the participants at the grand congress rejected the outcome of
the
people's referendum (PEPERA) of 1909 [as received; presumably a reference to
the "Act of Free Choice" (PEPERA) of 1969].

It was also stated that the Papuan people have been demanding for
independence and secession from the Indonesian unitary state because having
been neglected by the government for 38 years.

And the people in the easternmost province, he said, had been treated
inhumanely and killed, so that human rights violations had been committed.

In the meantime Papua's great leader Theys Eluay said the struggle to
regain
Papua independence by its supporters will be waged peacefully.

"There is no need to wage the struggle by force, especially at the cost of
human lives," he stressed.

Theys said the result of the grand congress will be submitted to President
Wahid, the Dutch government and the United Nations as well as to some other
countries in the world.

The Papuan political communique will be discussed further at the next
Papuan
congress scheduled in April this year.

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

Australian Broadcasting Corp.
Asia-Pacific Report
February 27, 2000

SUPPORTERS OF SEPARATIST MOVEMENT IN WEST PAPUA GATHER IN SANTANI

In Indonesia, more than two-thousand supporters of the separatist movement in
West Papua have gathered in the town of Santani, ahead of a landmark meeting
tomorrow.

The meeting, dubbed a congress of separatist forces, follows the announcement
by Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid at the beginning of this year that
the province, formerly known as Irian Jaya, would now be known as Papua.

President Wahid's move has been welcomed by the separatist movement in the
province, but has not lessened demands for independence, as Sarah Gibson
reports.

Several months before President Wahid's name change announcement, separatist
supporters in West Papua had noticed a marked decrease in Indonesian
antagonism toward the regular flag raising ceremonies that only shortly
before could have resulted in arrest.

In addition to the name change, President Wahid offered the people of West
Papua an autonomy package, but this was rejected in favour of a continuing
push for outright independence, according to journalist Mark Worth, who's
travelled in and written extensively about West Papua.

WORTH: No they're not happy, they want independence. Chief Theuys who's one
of the leaders of the independence movement, on New Years Day had a
discussion with President Wahid in front of 20-thousand people at Santani. He
said he wanted independence, and President Wahid said that was not possible
and that he would resist that in any way he could. But he did offer them an
autonomy package, and now there seems to be a swing towards wanting to maybe
take up some of the elements of that autonomy package as a road to eventual
independence. Beginning at least of some kind of recognition of
Papuan-Melanesian rights, an allowance of the fact that they are a different
kind of a people, much like the Aceh people and the East Timorese.

GIBSON: Tomorrow's congress is an attempt to unite the various factions
within the separatist movement - from the military, jungle-based Organisation
for a Free Papua, OPM, to the more urban activists.

It's hoped that a party will be formed from the meeting that will have the
support of all OPM leaders in West Papau and in exile overseas.

For the first time, Indonesian authorities have allowed 26 exiled activists
from Papua New Guinea back into the province to attend the meeting.

The attempt to refocus the separatist movement comes against the background
of a long-held belief that there will be a divine intervention for West
Papua, based on a cult called the Mansren myth.

During a recent visit to West Papua, journalist Mark Worth talked to one of
the leading figures in the separatist movement, the charistmatic Chief Theuys
who met the Indonesian President on New Year's Day.

He says the chief's strong belief in the divine support for the separatist
struggle is widely held throughout the movement.

WORTH: I interviewed Chief Theuys just after the flag was raised and I asked
him certain questions...and one question was as I said, how are you going to
achieve independence....what's your process. And he said that's not a problem
because Jesus will deliver it to us. So the raising of the Morning Star Flag
symbolises the morning star to oust the invaders, and the concept of divine
intervention has somewhat been fulfilled by President Wahid coming and
re-naming the country Papua and offering them an autonomy package.

GIBSON: Well I was going to come back to the East Timor comparison...to what
extent can you compare the two situations?

WORTH: You can compare the two situations because West Papua was colonised by
the Indonesians in 1962 under the UN. It was taken over before East Timor,
and it was the actual takeover. The invasion was lead by President Suharto
and Benny Murdani. And General Benny Murdani was also the general who invades
East Timor. So West Papua was a kind of blueprint for the East Timor
invasion. The comparison stops when you look at the involvement of the UN.

In 1962, the UN went in as peacekeepers in West Papua because a war was about
to break out with the Netherlands-New Guinea, but what the Indonesians did
was they illegally built up troops in the country, and when the UN left, the
Indonesians were supposed to hold a plebiscite which was later held, and
called the act of free choice.

But what happened was the Indonesians chose a thousand-and-twenty-five
delegates from the eight provinces of what was then West Irian, and got them
to vote on behalf of the eight-hundred-thousand Papuans. They took the
thousand-and-twenty-five delegates were chosen, put them in barbed-wire cages
around Jayapura, gave them presents and some money and said if you don't vote
for Indonesia, it will be seen as being treason. One Papuan participant told
me that they were instructed to vote for inclusion in Indonesia or their
tongues would be cut out and then "stuffed back into your Papuan mouths." And
the world just let that happen.

GIBSON: Mark Worth says he expects the current political developments in the
West Papuan separatist movement to work well in terms of advancing its
agenda, but he says he does think Indonesia will be challenged by the move.

WORTH:I think it will be a challenge in the long-run, but for the moment
we're looking at a very organic process. We're looking a very young
national...it's an old nationalist movement, but its still...because its been
so repressed, it really hasn't had a chance to find its feet. And unlike East
Timor it doesn't really have a lot of people overseas supporting it.

East Timor had an amazing network of fundraisers in New York and here in
Australia and support, so therefore it had that international support...it
was always in the news...it was never really allowed to drop. But West Papua
needs to achieve that, and its getting it.

When President Wahid was in London recently, he was stormed by 500-West
Papuan protestors. Also the Netherlands Government is looking into the act of
free choice, and looking into the legalities of it, because there are certain
loopholes there that weren't fulfilled under the UN and they're going to try
to resurrect those, and say that the act was illegal. So it is starting to
move.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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] Irian Jaya Refugees In Png Wish To Meet Gus Dur
Date: 2/29/00 12:05:11 AM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org (Admin)
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org
To: kabar-irian@irja.org

www.KABAR-IRIAN.com & www.IRJA.org

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

For KI help or information see the end of this message

National News
Irian Jaya Refugees In Png Wish To Meet Gus Dur
Monday, February 28, 2000/12:03:04 AM
Jayapura, Feb 28 (ANTARA)

Irian Jayans who have crossed the border into Papua New
Guinea
several years ago wished to hold a dialogue with
President
Abdurahman Wahid during his visit to the neighboring
country.

Frans Alberth, head of a 28-member Asia Pacific Papuan
delegation
currently on a visit to Jayapura to attend a grand
meeting of the
Papuan people, conveyed the wish to Antara here on
Sunday.

He said the PNG government and the Indonesian Embassy in
Port
Moresby have reportedly agreed to an arrangement for the
dialogue
between the President and Irian Jayan refugees in the
PNG.

The number of Indonesian refugees in the PNG is
estimated to reach
over 25,000, scatterd in some cities such as Vanimo,
Wewak, Lei,
Madang, Port Moresby and others.

Those in Port Moresby are refugees from Irian Jaya.

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Kissenger says RI should honor Freeport contract
Date: 2/28/00 2:23:35 PM Central Standard Time
From: news@kabar-irian.com (Editor/s)
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org

www.KABAR-IRIAN.com & www.IRJA.org

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The Jakarta Post
English Editiion, Business news
Feb 29th, 2000

Kissinger calls on RI to honor Freeport deal

JAKARTA (JP): Former U.S. secretary of state Henry
Kissinger called on the Indonesian government to honor
its contract with copper and gold mining enterprise PT
Freeport Indonesia amid growing criticism over the
company's mining activities.

Kissinger, listed on the company's website as a member of
the board of directors of the U.S. parent company,
Freeport
McMoRan, warned that any violation of the contract
would have an impact on the flow of foreign investment
into the country.

"The contract should be respected because it is in the
interests of Indonesia since you want investment from all
over the world," Kissinger told reporters at the State
Palace
after a meeting with President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab, who accompanied
Kissinger to the meeting, said the President agreed to
honor the contract but hoped Freeport would have some
understanding of the wishes of local residents.

"The existing contract will be honored. But Abdurrahman
asked Freeport to have a sort of understanding of the
people's aspirations. There won't be any change made to
the contract, but (Freeport) needs to give a special
concession," Alwi said without elaborating.

Kissinger agreed that Freeport should pay attention to
some special concerns in its operation.

"Freeport should be open-minded to special concerns in
the execution of that contract," he said, but he did not
elaborate.

Freeport has been criticized by many parties for
allegedly
destroying the environment around its copper and gold
mine in the Grasberg area in Irian Jaya.

Head of the Regional Environmental Impact Management
Agency (Bapedalda) of Irian Jaya Muhammad Ali Kastella
recently told The Jakarta Post that his office had found
13,300 hectares destroyed by the company.

Many legislators have also demanded the government to
revoke a governmental regulation of 1994 that enables
Freeport to avoid its contractual obligation to divest up
to
51 percent of its shares to Indonesian companies or the
government.

In a media conference, Kissinger also said he had
accepted
Abdurrahman's offer to be his political advisor.

He said he would confer with Abdurrahman at least once a
year on political and social policies for the world's
fourth
most populous nation.

"I responded to the President's request out of friendship
for the Indonesian people and the importance I attach to
Indonesia.

"I would like Indonesia to be strong, unified and
democratic," he added. (jsk/prb)



KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Murder in nabire
Date: 2/28/00 1:30:39 PM Central Standard 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

For KI help or information see the end of this message


From: Michel Leonardo Kamarea

Jakarta, 28 February 00

Dear Friends,

Today during the social unrest in Nabire, West Papua, the nephew of
Rev. Dr. Karel Phil Erari, Manafe Erari, was shot dead by the
Indonesian Mobile Police (Brimob).

Dr. Erari is now in Jayapura and will depart to tomorrow 29/2 to
Nabire. The Chief of Police, Brig. Jen. Wenas promised to follow up an
investigation on this incident.

Please pass this on to friends, we really appreciate it!

Thanks & regards,
leonardo


KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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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: Kissinger to advise Wahid
Date: 2/28/00 12:12:23 PM Central Standard Time
From: charlie@etan.org (Charles Scheiner)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

(see my comment posted separately)

AFX - Asia
Monday, February 28, 2000

Indonesia must honour Freeport contract: Kissinger

Indonesia should honour its contract with copper and gold miner PT
Freeport Indonesia to ensure continued foreign investment, former U.S.
Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said.

Kissinger, an adviser to President Abdurrahman Wahid, is listed on
the company's website as a member of the board of directors of the parent
company Freeport McMoran.

Kissinger added that Freeport should confine itself to economic activities.

"The contract (with PT Freeport) itself should be respected because it
is in the interests of Indonesia that the contract is respected since you
want investment from all over the world," Kissinger told reporters at the
state palace after a meeting with Wahid.

"On the other hand, Freeport should be open-minded to special concerns
in the execution of that contract," he said.

"In that spirit, I am hopeful that discussions will start in which
a constructive solution is reached compatible with the principles of
the importance of contracts and the dignity of the Indonesian people."

He said the only matter concerning Freeport that he discussed with
Wahid was influence I have to make sure that Freeport confines itself to
economic activities and does not attempt any political act of interference in
domestic affairs, and I wanted him (Wahid) to understand that the role of
Freeport in Indonesia must be a strictly commercial one and must be to the
mutual benefit of Indonesia and Freeport. "

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


AFX - Asia
Monday, February 28, 2000

Kissinger accepts Wahid invitation to become advisor, for free

JAKARTA

Former U.S. secretary of state Henry Kissinger said he has accepted an
offer from President Abdurrahman Wahid to become one of his advisors.

But he said was not being paid for acting as "advisor on general affairs,"
and told journalists after meeting Wahid at the state palace that he
had accepted the offer "as a friend of Indonesia."

There would be "no financial compensation," he said.

"I was very happy to be received by the president whose
extraordinary achievement to democracy in Indonesia and to stability to his
government I greatly admire.

"I want to make clear that I do this as a friend to Indonesia ... I do
this as a public service to the two countries," Kissinger said.

By taking up the offer, Kissinger said he would "educate myself
and contribute whatever I can to democracy progress and unity in Indonesia,"
adding that he planned to return at least once a year.

"As a patriotic American, I would like Indonesia to be strong
and democratic," he said.

Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab added that as an advisor on general
affairs, Kissinger would provide Wahid with inputs in the socio-political
and cultural fields since he has "enormous influence in the U.S. and the world."

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

Associated Press
February 28, 2000

Indonesia Pres Appoints Henry Kissinger As Adviser

JAKARTA (AP)--Confronted with massive economic and social problems,
Indonesia's reformist president Monday appointed former U.S. Secretary of
State Henry Kissinger as a political advisor.

Kissinger said he would confer with President Abdurrahman Wahid at least once
a year on political and social policy for the world's fourth most populous
nation.

"I responded to the request of the president out of friendship for the
Indonesian people and the importance I attach to the Indonesia nation," he
told reporters after the meeting. "I would like Indonesia to be strong,
unified and democratic."

Indonesia's Minister for Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab, who was with Kissinger
at the press conference, didn't explain why Wahid had made the appointment.

Kissinger was the U.S. secretary of state under former U.S. President Richard
Nixon and ex-President Gerald Ford. He was instrumental in shaping the U.S.'s
foreign policy for Southeast Asia. Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize in
1973.

Wahid, who assumed office last October, is struggling to pull Indonesia out
of its worst economic crisis in a generation. He is also working to end years
of separatist and religious fighting that threatens to tear this Southeast
Asian nation apart.

Kissinger is also a board member of Freeport McMoran Copper and Gold Inc.
(FCX), a U.S.-based company that owns one of the world's largest open-cut
mines in West Papua province in eastern Indonesia.
***********************************************************
Charles Scheiner
National Coordinator, East Timor Action Network/US
P.O. Box 1182, White Plains, New York 10602 USA
Telephone:1-914-428-7299; fax:1-914-428-7383 cell:1-914-720-9205
charlie@etan.org PGP key available on request.
Check out ETAN's web site: http://www.etan.org
For information on East Timor write info@etan.org

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

Subj: comment on Kissinger's role in Indonesia
Date: 2/28/00 12:12:22 PM Central Standard Time
From: charlie@etan.org (Charles Scheiner)
To: act.indonesiaindonesia-act@igc.org (Conference)
CC: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Friends,

Henry Kissinger has been an inspiration for irony ever since he got the
Nobel Peace Prize while the U.S. continued to bomb civilians throughout
Vietnam. I can't resist commenting on his latest approach to the new
Indonesian government.

This article from the Chinese government press agency could be a
parody. Kissinger (and Freeport) are indeed involved with the 'separatist'
movement in West Papua (formerly called Irian Jaya). For more than 30 years,
they helped the Indonesian government suppress economic and political
rights and destroy the environment there.
Such oppression has aided the 'separatist' (actually, independence)
movement by making the relatives of the people Freeport has killed
and tortured, and the neighbors of the rivers they have poisoned,
more angry with the Freeport-Suharto-Kissinger alliance which has
perpetrated these crimes.

Incidentally, in addition to serving on Freeport's Board of Directors,
Kissinger and Associates (his public relations/lobbying firm) has been
paid hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to advance Freeport's
goals. There's no conflict of interest here with his new offer to be an
unpaid advisor to Gus Dur -- it's obvious to any thinking person who
his real client is.

Freeport was the first major international company to enter
into partnership with the Suharto regime during the bloody 1960's.
As Mohammad Sadli, charged with attracting foreign investment
to Indonesia at that time, told Jeffrey Winters: "We were desperate
to get new investments. ... With Freeport, which was the first
generation of new investments in Indonesia, I all but said 'Where
is the dotted line for me to sign on?' They were ready to invest even
before we had an investment law ..."

One would hope that the newest order in Jakarta is not quite so eager
to accept Dr. Kissinger and Freeport's advice.

-- Charlie Scheiner


At 08:24 AM 2/28/00 +0000, you wrote:
>Xinhua News Agency.
>February 28, 2000
>
>U.S. Not Involved in Separatist Movement in Indonesia, Says Kissinger
>
>JAKARTA, February 28
>
> The United States has never been involved in the separatist movement in the
>Indonesian province of Irian Jaya, former U.S. secretary of state Henry
>Kissinger said.
...

>Associated Press
>February 28, 2000
>
>Indonesia Pres Appoints Henry Kissinger As Adviser
>
>JAKARTA (AP)--Confronted with massive economic and social problems,
>Indonesia's reformist president Monday appointed former U.S. Secretary of
>State Henry Kissinger as a political advisor.
>...

***********************************************************
Charles Scheiner
National Coordinator, East Timor Action Network/US
P.O. Box 1182, White Plains, New York 10602 USA
Telephone:1-914-428-7299; fax:1-914-428-7383 cell:1-914-720-9205
charlie@etan.org PGP key available on request.
Check out ETAN's web site: http://www.etan.org
For information on East Timor write info@etan.org

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

Subj: Fwd: Kissinger: U.S. Not Involved in Separatist Movement in Indonesia
Date: 2/28/00 11:01:50 AM Central Standard Time
From: cscheiner@mindspring.com (Charles Scheiner)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Poster's comment:

This story from the Chinese government press agency could be a
parody. Kissinger (and Freeport) are indeed involved with the 'separatist'
movement in West Papua (formerly called Irian Jaya). For more than 30 years,
they have helped the Indonesian government suppress
economic and political rights and destroy the environment there.
Such oppression has aided the 'separatist' (actually, independence)
movement by making the relatives of the people Freeport has killed
and tortured, and the neighbors of the rivers they have poisoned,
more angry with the Freeport-Suharto-Kissinger alliance which has
perpetrated these crimes.

-- Charlie Scheiner


---
Forwarded by Joyo:
Xinhua News Agency.
February 28, 2000

U.S. Not Involved in Separatist Movement in Indonesia, Says Kissinger

JAKARTA, February 28

The United States has never been involved in the separatist movement in the
Indonesian province of Irian Jaya, former U.S. secretary of state Henry
Kissinger said.

"The U.S. has never given its support to parties who want to separate from
Indonesia, " visiting Kissinger told the House of Representatives' defense
commission here Monday.

Irian Jaya, with a population of 2 million, has been demanding for
independence from Indonesia. Clamors for independence have been mounting in
the territory, especially as growing accusations of human rights abuses grow.

Kissinger said personally, he wants to see a strong and united Indonesia.

"If a province separates (from Indonesia) , it will be followed by the
others," he was quoted as saying by chairman of the House's commission Yasril
Ananta Baharuddin.

Kissinger said the experience of Yugoslavia and the former USSR (Union of
Soviet Socialist Republics) also began from sporadic separatist movements such
as what Indonesia has been facing.

Kissinger, who is also a commissioner of the giant mining company PT Freeport
Indonesia, also gave assurances that the company will not interfere in
Indonesia's domestic affairs, including in Irian Jaya, the base of Freeport's
mining operations.

If such an interference occurs, Kissinger vowed to resign from the company.

Besides meeting with the House leaders, Kissinger who arrived here on
Saturday on a three days visit, also met with President Abdurrahman Wahid and
Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

The president asked Kissinger to be his adviser on general affairs, Foreign
Affairs Minister Alwi Shihad told reporters after accompanying Kissinger in a
meeting with Wahid on Monday.

Kissinger, in response, expressed his readiness, saying he wanted to help
Indonesia.

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

Subj: Wahid Says W Papuans Can Wear Kotekas in Parliament
Date: 2/28/00 10:29:42 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Excerpt: In Papua, the President said, a leader of the Independent Papua
Organisation (OPM), and an ex-Golkar man as well as a former Parliament
member have declared that they wish to remain in the fold of the Republic.

"I told Minister Alwi Shihab, it is only a matter of time when the others
will follow. If necessary, we will make the OPM leader a member of the
Assembly. If he later joins the meetings in Jakarta, he is permitted to wear
a koteka, if that's what he wants." His words were met with laughter from the
audience.

[President Wahid may intend this as a mark of his cultural tolerance.
Others will see it as a
deliberate put-down for a 'primitive people' and a reflection of Javanese
racism, which will reverse
whatever goodwill he may have earned from agreeing to re-name Irian Jaya as
Papua. TAPOL]

Kompas, Monday, 28 February 2000

Gus About Developments In Aceh, Molucca And Papua In Brunei Darussalam

Jakarta,

After resting two days as advised by his physician, President Abdurrahman
Wahid resumed his foreign journey. This time it only covered a oneday trip to
Brunei Darussal in the company of Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab and
Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security ad interim, Surjadi Soedirja.

In a dialogue with the Indonesian community in Bandar Seri Bagawan, Gus Dur
explained the recent developments in Aceh, the Moluccas, and Papua.

The President who travels with his wife Mrs. Siti Nuriyah and daughter,
Zannuba Arifah Chasof (Yenny), took of from Halim Perdanakusuma Airport at
07.05. The entourage who traveled in a plane of the Air Force, Boeing 707,
arrived in Jakarta at 17.20 on the same day. They were welcomed by Vice
President Megawati Soekarnoputri, TNI Chief Commander Admiral Widodo AS,
Military District Commander, Major General Ryamizard Ryacudu, Police Chief
Lt. General Rusdihardjo, and Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, at Halim
Perdanakusuma.

Although it was a full day trip, the President appeared well and none for the
worse. In Brunei, Gus Dur met Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, while Foreign
Minister, Alwi Shihab, and his counterpart of Brunei Darussalam, Mohamad
Bolkiah, signed an agreement on multifolded tax prevention between the two
countries.

Improvement in Moluccas

In his dialogue with the Indonesian community in Bandar Seri Begawan, the
President informed that the situation in the Moluccas is improving. For that
reason, he followed Vice President Megawati's suggestion to leave the
officials in the Moluccas in their present positions.

"Madame Megawati called me last evening to tell me that the situation in the
Moluccas is improving every day. And to let the officials keep their posts,"
Gus Dur quoted the Vice President.

"I went along with her suggestion, as long as she is going to tell the Chief
Commander, the Army Chief of Staff about the matter. There are no problems,
we only want to settle things in a peaceful way."

The General Chief of Staff, Lt. General Suadi Marasabessy, said not long ago
that 44 high ranking officers were to be replaced, one of them was the
Military District Commander Pattimura of the Moluccas, Brigadier General Max
Tamaela.

Gus Dur said further that the improved situation in the Moluccas was
confirmed by his daughter, who recently returned from a trip to the islands.

"There are Christian and Moslem refugees sharing the same camp overthere,"
Gus Dur quoted from his daughter's report. His daughter is an activist in one
of the NGOs operating in the country.

"There are many combined Moslem and Christian activities right now. Not all
the stories are true, there is little fighting going on right now," Gus Dur
said.

OPM organisation

Gus Dur also told the Indonesian community in Brunei, that the same condition
can be found in Aceh and in Papua.

" A drastic change has happened inThe Independent Aceh Movement (GAM)," he
said, adding that the movement recently announced the death of their leader.
"That only means that the organization is facing increased resistence from
within," the Head of State said at a meeting attended by hundreds of
Indonesians in Brunei Darussalam.

Special meetings were also held between Indonesia and Hasan Tiro. "The most
important thing is though, that leaders of Islamic boarding schools and
students have agreed to end the troubles in Aceh," he said.

And in Papua, the President said further, a leader of the Independent Papua
Orgnisation (OPM), and an ex-Golkar man as well as a former Parliament member
have declared that they wish to remain in the fold of the Republic.

"I told Minister Alwi Shihab, it is only a matter of time when the others
will follow. If necessary, we will make the OPM leader a member of the
Assembly. If he later joins the meetings in Jakarta, he is permitted to wear
a koteka, if that's what he wants." His words were met with laughter from the
audience.

The President also touched on the economic situation in Indonesia which is
also on the mend after a two-year malaise. "There have been fundamental
improvements," he said.

Together with the improved economic situation, a change in advanced
technological development has taken place in large firms. They are focusing
more on small and medium scale companies.

State within a state

Gus Dur also stressed at the meeting that he will not tolerate a state within
a state. "Demonstrations are alright, no problem. We may have different
opinions," he went on saying.

But, when different views are expressed in certain actions, government will
not hesitate to act.

"We don't tolerate a state within a state. Indonesia is one state and will
always be so," he stressed.

The President further explained the Indonesian political position to the
Indonesians in Brunei which involves development of present capabilities in
support of development. "All that we can do is directed towards this
objective, in order that at least after the next generation, a welfaring
state is accomplished. Welfare is mandated in the Basic Laws 1945."

He expressed his hopes for Brunei Darussalam, that it may one day become a
place of learning for the Indonesian community, in particular where oil
technology is concerned. "To be quite honest, there should be two places
where oil technology can be studied at a reasonable price, i.e. Brunei and
Israel," Gus Dur said amidst laughter from the audience.

"Yes, of course. This is so, if we want to be honest to ourselves. But,
because Brunei is the nearest, our choice has fallen on our neighbor." Gus
Dur added, the only place to provide this technology all this time, had been
the USA. (*)



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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: Wahid Says W Papuans Can Wear Kotekas in Parliament
Date: 2/28/00 10:22:19 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Excerpt: In Papua, the President said, a leader of the Independent Papua
Organisation (OPM), and an ex-Golkar man as well as a former Parliament
member have declared that they wish to remain in the fold of the Republic.

"I told Minister Alwi Shihab, it is only a matter of time when the others
will follow. If necessary, we will make the OPM leader a member of the
Assembly. If he later joins the meetings in Jakarta, he is permitted to wear
a koteka, if that's what he wants." His words were met with laughter from the
audience.

[President Wahid may intend this as a mark of his cultural tolerance.
Others will see it as a
deliberate put-down for a 'primitive people' and a reflection of Javanese
racism, which will reverse
whatever goodwill he may have earned from agreeing to re-name Irian Jaya as
Papua. TAPOL]

Kompas, Monday, 28 February 2000

Gus About Developments In Aceh, Molucca And Papua In Brunei Darussalam

Jakarta,

After resting two days as advised by his physician, President Abdurrahman
Wahid resumed his foreign journey. This time it only covered a oneday trip to
Brunei Darussal in the company of Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab and
Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security ad interim, Surjadi Soedirja.

In a dialogue with the Indonesian community in Bandar Seri Bagawan, Gus Dur
explained the recent developments in Aceh, the Moluccas, and Papua.

The President who travels with his wife Mrs. Siti Nuriyah and daughter,
Zannuba Arifah Chasof (Yenny), took off from Halim Perdanakusuma Airport at
07.05. The entourage who traveled in a plane of the Air Force, Boeing 707,
arrived in Jakarta at 17.20 on the same day. They were welcomed by Vice
President Megawati Soekarnoputri, TNI Chief Commander Admiral Widodo AS,
Military District Commander, Major General Ryamizard Ryacudu, Police Chief
Lt. General Rusdihardjo, and Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, at Halim
Perdanakusuma.

Although it was a full day trip, the President appeared well and none for the
worse. In Brunei, Gus Dur met Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, while Foreign
Minister, Alwi Shihab, and his counterpart of Brunei Darussalam, Mohamad
Bolkiah, signed an agreement on multifolded tax prevention between the two
countries.

Improvement in Moluccas

In his dialogue with the Indonesian community in Bandar Seri Begawan, the
President informed that the situation in the Moluccas is improving. For that
reason, he followed Vice President Megawati's suggestion to leave the
officials in the Moluccas in their present positions.

"Madame Megawati called me last evening to tell me that the situation in the
Moluccas is improving every day. And to let the officials keep their posts,"
Gus Dur quoted the Vice President.

"I went along with her suggestion, as long as she is going to tell the Chief
Commander, the Army Chief of Staff about the matter. There are no problems,
we only want to settle things in a peaceful way."

The General Chief of Staff, Lt. General Suadi Marasabessy, said not long ago
that 44 high ranking officers were to be replaced, one of them was the
Military District Commander Pattimura of the Moluccas, Brigadier General Max
Tamaela.

Gus Dur said further that the improved situation in the Moluccas was
confirmed by his daughter, who recently returned from a trip to the islands.

"There are Christian and Moslem refugees sharing the same camp overthere,"
Gus Dur quoted from his daughter's report. His daughter is an activist in one
of the NGOs operating in the country.

"There are many combined Moslem and Christian activities right now. Not all
the stories are true, there is little fighting going on right now," Gus Dur
said.

OPM organisation

Gus Dur also told the Indonesian community in Brunei, that the same condition
can be found in Aceh and in Papua.

" A drastic change has happened inThe Independent Aceh Movement (GAM)," he
said, adding that the movement recently announced the death of their leader.
"That only means that the organization is facing increased resistence from
within," the Head of State said at a meeting attended by hundreds of
Indonesians in Brunei Darussalam.

Special meetings were also held between Indonesia and Hasan Tiro. "The most
important thing is though, that leaders of Islamic boarding schools and
students have agreed to end the troubles in Aceh," he said.

And in Papua, the President said further, a leader of the Independent Papua
Orgnisation (OPM), and an ex-Golkar man as well as a former Parliament member
have declared that they wish to remain in the fold of the Republic.

"I told Minister Alwi Shihab, it is only a matter of time when the others
will follow. If necessary, we will make the OPM leader a member of the
Assembly. If he later joins the meetings in Jakarta, he is permitted to wear
a koteka, if that's what he wants." His words were met with laughter from the
audience.

The President also touched on the economic situation in Indonesia which is
also on the mend after a two-year malaise. "There have been fundamental
improvements," he said.

Together with the improved economic situation, a change in advanced
technological development has taken place in large firms. They are focusing
more on small and medium scale companies.

State within a state

Gus Dur also stressed at the meeting that he will not tolerate a state within
a state. "Demonstrations are alright, no problem. We may have different
opinions," he went on saying.

But, when different views are expressed in certain actions, government will
not hesitate to act.

"We don't tolerate a state within a state. Indonesia is one state and will
always be so," he stressed.

The President further explained the Indonesian political position to the
Indonesians in Brunei which involves development of present capabilities in
support of development. "All that we can do is directed towards this
objective, in order that at least after the next generation, a welfaring
state is accomplished. Welfare is mandated in the Basic Laws 1945."

He expressed his hopes for Brunei Darussalam, that it may one day become a
place of learning for the Indonesian community, in particular where oil
technology is concerned. "To be quite honest, there should be two places
where oil technology can be studied at a reasonable price, i.e. Brunei and
Israel," Gus Dur said amidst laughter from the audience.

"Yes, of course. This is so, if we want to be honest to ourselves. But,
because Brunei is the nearest, our choice has fallen on our neighbor." Gus
Dur added, the only place to provide this technology all this time, had been
the USA. (*)



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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: Irianese Congress Rejects 1969 Plebiscite
Date: 2/28/00 9:06:35 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Jakarta Post
February 28, 2000

Irianese congress rejects 1969 plebiscite

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): The first Papuan Congress ended on Saturday with a
unanimous rejection of the 1969 plebiscite that incorporated the former Dutch
territory into Indonesia.

In a statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Saturday, the 500
congress participants said the popular consultation lacked legitimacy because
the Indonesian government held it without involving eligible voters.

The poll was conducted based on the 1962 New York Agreement between the UN,
Indonesia and the Netherlands.

"Only 0.8 percent of the 80,000 eligible voters took part in the so- called
popular consultation," the congress' declaration signed by local leaders
Theys H. Eluay and Tom Beanal said.

The poll, locally known as Pepera, the acronym for Penentuan Pendapat Rakyat
(People's Self-determination Vote) was sanctioned after the transfer of power
over the western part of the island from the Netherlands to Indonesia through
the UN in May 1963.

The congress participants called the transfer of power invalid since it was
decided without consulting local people.

Independence demands have been on the rise over the past two years in the
province, the home to one of the world's largest gold and cooper mining
industries, in response to past human rights violations and the unfair
divisions of revenues earned from exploiting its natural resources.

"That is why we decide to separate from Indonesia and form a Papua nation,"
the statement said.

Numerous demonstrations demanding independence have taken across the
province, including one on Dec. 1 where the Morning Star rebel flag was
hoisted. Several people, including Theys, were questioned following the
incident.

President Abdurrahman Wahid has rejected the independence demands, offering
wide-ranging autonomy instead.

The latest rally to reject the autonomy offer on Feb. 16 ended in violence
leaving a man shot dead and several people including police officers injured.

Independence movements have also been seen in the country's other
resource-rich provinces of Aceh and Riau.

Irianese people are prepared to hold dialogs and other peaceful and
democratic ways in the search for a settlement, the statement added.

Congress participants also expressed their gratitude to President Abdurrahman
Wahid for his decision to change the name of Irian Jaya to Papua on New
Year's Eve.

"By changing the name, the President has recognized the cultural identity we
have been struggling for," it said.

Tom Beanal said the statement would be sent to the UN and the governments of
Indonesia, the Netherlands and the United States because of their alleged
refusal to acknowledge the political rights of Papuans.

The congress participants decided to set up a Papuan presidium council, which
was tasked with preparations for a bigger congress slated for April.

The presidium comprises tribal, women, youth and student leaders as well as
local scholars and foreign delegations.

The four-day congress, which was held in Sentani Hotel, ran peacefully under
the watchful eyes of about 1,000 local security personnel. (eba/jun)



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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: Congress demands independence for Indonesia's Irian Jaya
Date: 2/28/00 4:52:00 AM Central Standard Time
From: iris@matra.com.au (Anne Noonan)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Radio Aust. 28/2/00


Congress demands independence for Indonesia's Irian
Jaya


A congress held in Indonesia's remote province of Irian
Jaya,

also known as West Papua, has rejected a 1969 United

Nations-recognized referendum under which it was
incorporated

into Indonesia.


The official Antara newsagency says a communique issued
by the

500 congress members quoted chief organizer, Herman
Awom, as

saying the people in Irian Jaya are demanding
independence.


But, a local leader, Theys Eluay, speaking in the
provincial

capital of Jayapura, says the struggle for independence
will

be fought peacefully.


Mr Awon says the congress rejected the outcome of the

UN-sponsored referendum, because it involved only a
small

percentage of the 80-thousand eligible voters.


Mr Eluay said the results of the congress will be
submitted to

Indonesia's President Abdurrahman Wahid, the Dutch
government

and the United Nations.


Calls for an independent West Papua state in Irian Jaya
have

been gaining momentum since the fall of former
Indonesian

president Suharto in 1998.






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

Australia West Papua Association, Sydney

PO BOX 65

Millers Point, NSW

Australia 2000

Tel/fax 61 2 99601698

iris@matra.com.au

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

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

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN]The Irian Jaya Biodiversity Conservation Priority-Setting Workshop
Date: 2/27/00 7:57:13 PM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org

www.KABAR-IRIAN.com & www.IRJA.org

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

For KI help or information see the end of this message


via: The Indonesian Nature Conservation Database
http://www.bart.nl/~edcolijn/

The Irian Jaya Biodiversity Conservation Priority-Setting Workshop -
Biak, 7-12 January 1997

Final Report
Editor in Chief: Jatna Supriatna
Conservation International, 1999
ISBN 1 881173-28-3

INTRODUCTION

Irian Jaya, located on the western half of the island of New Guinea in the
Indonesian Archipelago, is perhaps the biologically richest and most
diverse assemblage of ecosystems in the tropical Pacific. With an area of
over 416,000 km2, it contains a significant portion of the planet's
remaining tropical forests, as well as some of the most pristine coral
reefs on Earth. Irian Jaya is home to a unique array of plant and animal
species, including birds of paradise, birdwing butterflies, tree kangaroos,
cuscus, orchids, Araucaria trees, and rhododendrons.

In addition, over 250 different ethnic groups live in Irian Jaya, each with
rich cultural traditions, languages, and sets of inter-relationships with
their environment. The rise of large-scale development in Irian Jaya
threatens indigenous communities and conflicts with conservation efforts in
the area. As the last great rainforest wilderness of Indonesia, Irian Jaya
provides a critical opportunity and challenge for planning sustainable
development and conservation initiatives.

(snip)

The Irian Jaya Biodiversity Conservation Priority-Setting Workshop had
three primary objectives:

1. to help delineate the most critical priority areas for biodiversity
conservation based on expert scientific information;
2. to assess the local capacity for implementing conservation and
sustainable development-oriented activities; and
3. to seek a consensus among government and academic institutions and NGOs
about how best to integrate conservation and development planning in Irian
Jaya.

Socio-economic factors, including the implications of current and future
development plans and demographic trends for local people and biota in
Irian Jaya, were also examined. The process itself was divided into three
phases. The first phase included the compilation and synthesis of
information to produce a comprehensive, integrated information system on
the state of knowledge of Irian Jaya's biodiversity. The second phase
included a priority-setting workshop that brought together leading
scientists, considered experts on the province. These scientists worked
together to produce an integrated assessment on the current status of
biodiversity, and also to determine a set of priorities concerning future
research, policy, and conservation action. The final phase of the process,
which is currently underway, involves the dissemination of information to
aid in decision making. The results of the workshop, which include a
comprehensive information system, the workshop map, and this report, are
currently being distributed and used as an important base for decision
making concerning the future of Irian Jaya's biodiversity.

This document presents the entire process with special emphasis on the
second phase: the expert workshop itself and results of this workshop.
Although we do cover the initial phase of data collection and information
synthesis, only the results of the second phase are presented. For more
details on the information assembled and available from this project, a
CD-ROM has been published that contains all data from both the information
phase and the workshop phase. The CD-ROM includes all GIS maps, biological
collections, detailed expert froms, group reports and workshop documents,
as well as images of the biodiversity of Irian Jaya that were used during
the workshop.



TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Introduction
1. Biodiversity in Irian Jaya
2. The Benefits of Conserving Biological Resources and Diversity
3. The Biogeography of Irian Jaya
5. Potential Threats

II. The Irian Jaya Biodiversity Conservation Priority-setting Process
8. Defining Conservation Priorities
9. The Information Phase
13. The Expert Workshop
14. Criteria for Determining Priority Areas
15. Methods Specific to Each Thematic Group

III. Workshop Findings
20. General Results
20. The Irian Jaya Biodiversity Priorities Map
21. Group Summaries
21. Plants
21. Insects/Terrestrial Invertebrates
23. Reptiles and Amphibians
27. Birds
29. Mammals
31. Freshwater Systems
31. Coastal/Marine Systems
33. Socio-Economic Assessment
37. Conservation Implementation Analysis

IV. Discussion
40. Agriculture
40. Logging
42. Roads
42. Dams and Irrigation
43. Mining, Oil and Gas Projects
43. Fishing
44. The Introduction of Exotic Species

V. Recommendations: Towards an Integrated Conservation and Development
Strategy for Irian Jaya

VI. Appendices
50. Preliminary Assessment of the Status of Protected Areas
52. Taxonomic Group Conservation Priority Areas
55. Preliminary List of Protected Species in Irian Jaya and their
distribution
62. Educational Background of NGO members
63. Educational Background of PKA Staff at Sub-BKSDA Irian Jaya II

64. List of Acronmyms
65. Workshop Participants
67. Workshop Group Leaders
69. List of Geographic Names and Their Equivalents
69. List of Indonesian Terms and Their Equivalents
70. Further Readings

( Ed. people outside Indonesia can request the report and CD-ROM from

Pat Gleason
Conservation International
Washington Office
Email: p.gleason@conservation.org

distribution inside Indonesia is handled by

Iwan H Wijayanto
Conservation International - IP
Jakarta Office
Email: iwan@conservation.or.id )
---------------------------------------------------------

Lokakarya Penentuan Prioritas Konservasi Keanekaragaman Hayati Irian Jaya -
Biak, 7-12 January 1997

Laporan Akhir
Editor in Chief: Jatna Supriatna
Conservation International, 1999
ISBN 1 881173-28-3


PENDAHULUAN

Irian Jaya, yang terletak di bagian barat Pulau Irian di Kepulauan
Indonesia, mungkin merupakan daerah keanekaragaman hayati terkaya di
kawasan Pasific tropis. Dengan luas sekitar 416.000 km2, Irian Jaya
memiliki sebagian besar hutan hujan tropik yang masih tersisa dan juga
beberapa ekosistem terumbu karang yang paling asri di dunia. Di Irian Jaya
ditemukan berbagai spesies tumbuhan dan hewan yang unik, seperti burung
cenderawasih, kupu sayap burung, kangguru pohon, kuskus, beragam jenis
anggrek, pohon Ara, dan berbagai jenis rhododendron.

Selain memiliki keanekaragaman flora dan fauna yang luar biasa, Irian Jaya
juga merupakan rumah bagi lebih dari 250 kelompok etnik, yang memiliki
kekayaan budaya, bahasa, dan perangkat tradisi yang mengatur hubungan
mereka dengan alam. Dengan sendirinya, benturan kepentingan antara
pembangunan berskala besar, kepentingan masyarakat asli, dan upaya
konservasi sangatlah mudah terjadi. Sebagai kawasan hutan hujan tropis
terbesar yang masih tersisa di Indonesia, Irian Jaya memberikan peluang dan
tantangan bagi pengembangan sistem pembangunan berkelanjutan dan berbagai
upaya konservasi.

(snip)

Lokakarya Penentuan Prioritas Konservasi Keanekaragaman hayati Irian Jaya
mempunyai tiga tujuan utama:

1. Membantu menetapkan batas-batas daerah yang menjadi prioritas utama bagi
upaya pelestarian keanekaragaman hayati berdasarkan informasi ilmiah yang
dihimpun para ahli;
2. Menilai kapasitas lokal untuk mengimplementasikan konservasi dan
kegiatan yang berorientasi pada pembangunan yang berkelanjutan; dan
3. Mencari konsensus di antara pemerintah, institusi akademik, dan lembaga
swadaya masyarakat (LSM) tentang cara terbaik memadukan konservasi dan
perencanaan pembangunan di Irian Jaya.

Faktor-faktor sosio-ekonomi, termasuk dampak rencana pembangunan masa kini
dan masa yang akan datang, serta kecendrungan demografi masyarakat lokal
dan biota Irian Jaya juga ditinjau dalam lokakarya. Proses lokakarya itu
sendiri dibagi menjadi tiga tahap. Tahap pertama mencakup pengumpulan dan
sintesis informasi untuk menghasilkan sebuah sistem informasi terpadu dan
komprehensif mengenai status pengetahuan tentang keanekaragaman hayati
Irian Jaya. Tahap kedua adalah pelaksanaan lokakarya yang menghadirkan
lebih dari 90 ilmuwan terkemuka, yang dipandang ahli mengenai propinsi ini.
Para ilmuwan tersebut bekerjasama untuk menghasilkan sebuah analisis
terpadu tentang status keanekaragaman hayati saat ini, dan juga untuk
menentukan seperangkat prioritas penelitian masa depan, kebijakan, dan
tindakan konservasi. Tahap terakhir proses, yang masih berjalan, mancakup
diseminasi informasi untuk membantu proses pengambilan keputusan. Pada saat
ini, hasil lokakarya yang meliputi sistem informasi komprehensif, peta
hasil lokakarya, dan laporan ini, sedang disebarluaskan dan digunakan
sebagai acuan penting dalam pengambilan keputusan yang menyangkut masa
depan keanekaragaman hayati Irian Jaya.

Dokumen ini menyajikan keseluruhan proses dengan penekanan khusus pada
pelaksanaan tahap kedua: lokakarya para ahli dan hasil-hasilnya. Meskipun
kami juga menyinggung tahap awal yang berkaitan dengan proses pengumpulan
data dan sintesis informasi, hanya hasil-hasil dari tahap tersebut yang
disajikan. Informasi yang lebih rinci dapat diperoleh dari CD-ROM yang
memuat seluruh data, baik yang berasal dari tahap pengumpulan informasi
maupun lokakarya. CD-ROM tersebut meliputi semua peta GIS, koleksi spesimen
biologi, rincian kertas kerja para ahli, laporan kelompok dan dokumen
lokakarya, serta gambar-gambar tentang keanekaragaman hayati Irian Jaya
yang dipergunakan selama lokakarya.


DAFTAR ISI

I. Pendahuluan
1. Keanekaragaman hayati di Irian Jaya
2. Manfaat Pelestarian dan Keragaman Sumberdaya Hayati
3. Biogeografi Irian Jaya
5. Ancaman-ancaman potensial

II. Proses Penentuan Prioritas Konservasi Keanekarageman Hayati Irian Jaya
8. Menentukan Prioritas Konservasi
9. Tahap Informasi
13. Lokakarya Pakar
14. Kriteria Penentuan Kawasan Prioritas
15. Metode Spesifik untuk Setiap Kelompok Tematik

III. Hasil-hasil Lokakarya
20. Hasil Umum
20. Peta Prioritas Keanekarageman Hayati Irian Jaya
21. Ringkasan Kelompok
21. Tumbuhan
21. Serangga/Avertebrata Terestrial
23. Reptilia dan Amfibia
27. Burung
29. Mamalia
31. Sistem Air Tawar
31. Sistem Pesisir/Kelautan
33. Analisis Sosio-Ekonomi
37. Analisis Implementasi Konservasi

IV. Diskusi
40. Pertanian
40. Penebangan Hutan
42. Jalan
42. Dam dan Irigasi
43. Proyek Pertambangan, Minyak, dan Gas
43. Perikanan
44. Introduksi Species Eksotik

V. Rekomendasi: Menuju Konservasi Terpadu dan Strategi Pembangunan di
Irian Jaya

VI. Lampiran
50. Telaah Awal Status Kawasan Suaka di Irian Jaya
52. Daerah Kawasan Prioritas Konservasi Berdasarkan Kelompok Taksonomi
55. Daftar Awal Spesies yang Dilindungi di Irian Jaya dan Distribusinya
62. Latar Belakang Pendidikan Anggota LSM
63. Keadaan Pegawai Berdasarkan Tingkat Pendidikan Pada Sub BKSDA Irian
Jaya II

64. Daftar Singkatan dan Persamaannya
65. Peserta Lokakarya
67. Ketua Kelompok Taksa
69. Daftar Nama Geografis dan Persamaannya
69. Daftar Istilah Bahasa Indonesia dan Persamaannya
70. Bahan Rujukan

( Ed. Laporan dan CD-ROM dapat diminta dari

Pat Gleason
Conservation International
Washington Office
Email: p.gleason@conservation.org

atau, di Indonesia:

Iwan H Wijayanto
Conservation International - IP
Jakarta Office
Email: iwan@conservation.or.id )
---------------------------------------------------------


KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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] Separatist Rage in Exploited West Papua
Date: 2/26/00 9:02:06 AM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org

www.KABAR-IRIAN.com & www.IRJA.org

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

For KI help or information see the end of this message




Subject: Newsweek: Separatist Rage in Exploited West Papua

Received from Joyo Indonesian News via TAPOL via
reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Newsweek International,=20
February 28, 2000=20

Digging for Trouble=20

[Seeing words like 'wild' West Papua and 'stone-age tribes', I was almost
minded to pass this over but it turns out to be more useful than these
stupid remarks would suggest. So here is it. TAPOL]

=20
PHOTO: A West Papua man sits alongside a painting of Jesus, which says "Give=
=20
Back Our Freedom" (David N. Berkwitz =97 Newsweek)=20

Separatist rage runs loose in wild West Papua, home of stone-age tribes and=
=20
the world's richest gold mine=20

By Ron Moreau

The Aghawagon Valley hardly seems like one of the wealthiest places on=
earth.=20
The Indonesian government has spent as little as possible on developing the=
=20
California-size province of Irian Jaya. In remote corners of the mountainous=
=20
interior, local women still wear only grass skirts and men go naked except=
=20
for a traditional koteka, a decorative gourd to cover the penis. Life tends=
=20
to be far less picturesque along the Aghawagon River, where jeans, T shirts=
=20
and shabby dresses are the rule. Three years ago the overcrowded valley's=20
poverty broke into tribal war between the native Amungme people and the more=
=20
numerous Dani settlers who were lured here from hundreds of kilometers away=
=20
by false hopes of easy money for illiterate laborers. Nine people were=
killed=20
before local authorities could restore peace. Thousands of inhabitants were=
=20
relocated down the frothy, dark-gray river, to new homes in the delta town=
of=20
Timika. Thousands of others remain, most of them scratching a subsistence=20
from the land.

Only a few kilometers upstream, the world's richest gold mine empties its=20
tailings directly into the murky river. Every day roughly 220,000 tons of=20
waste gravel are discharged into the Aghawagon. The mine's owner, a=20
subsidiary of the giant American firm Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.,=
=20
insists the river's water is safe to drink. The locals don't believe it.=
They=20
regard themselves as beaten down and exploited, and almost everyone blames=
=20
both the mining firm and the faraway Jakarta government. "Freeport and=20
Indonesia are the enemy," says Simon Bukaleng, a laborer at a=20
Freeport-sponsored farm project in the valley. "They oppress us, pollute the=
=20
environment and take away our riches. We want independence."

Rebellion hangs in the cool, damp air. Inspired by the example of East=
Timor,=20
which won its freedom from Indonesia last year, a long-suppressed spirit of=
=20
separatism is erupting all over Irian Jaya. (The native New Guinea islanders=
=20
prefer the name West Papua.) The incipient uprising is only one of the=20
challenges facing Indonesia's popular reformist president, Abdurrahman=
Wahid,=20
as he desperately tries to avert bloody collapses on all sides: in Aceh=
(next=20
story), in the Molucca Islands, where religious riots have killed more than=
=20
1,000 people, even within his own Army's restive officer corps. In late=20
February about 200 tribal, religious and community leaders from all over=
West=20
Papua are expected to convene in the provincial capital, Jayapura, to name=
an=20
official head for their separatist coalition. They promise to use only=20
peaceful tactics=97at first, anyway. John Rumbiak, a Papuan human-rights=20
activist, warns: "If Jakarta doesn't respond to our calls for a dialogue,=
our=20
separatist feelings will grow stronger=97and more dangerous."

Danger is something Papuans can talk about from harsh experience. During the=
=20
32-year regime of President Suharto, his armed forces conducted a=20
scorched-earth war in an ultimately unsuccessful effort to eradicate the=
Free=20
Papua Movement (OPM), a tiny, disorganized and ill-equipped guerrilla army.=
=20
Hoping to break the rebels, many of them armed with nothing heavier than=
bows=20
and arrows, the Indonesian military bombed, strafed and burned hundreds of=
=20
villages. Rebels were arrested, tortured and summarily executed=97along with=
=20
hundreds of innocent villagers. Many Papuans began to identify the military=
=20
with Freeport. "For years Papuans saw the Indonesian military coming in=20
Freeport helicopters, boats, trucks and jeeps," says an American missionary.=
=20
"So it's hard for them to see the difference." Human-rights activists say=20
sometimes the prisoners were hauled away in Freeport buses and even jailed=
in=20
Freeport shipping containers. Freeport vice president Paul Murphy denies=
that=20
any of the company's employees were involved. He says any company equipment=
=20
had been commandeered by Jakarta's military.

The government's brutality has continued, even after the end of Suharto's=20
rule in 1998. Last November in the delta town of Timika, a group of=20
protesters hoisted the Papuan independence flag in the yard of the local=20
Roman Catholic church. Indonesian officials left it alone for nearly a week.=
=20
Then, abruptly and forcibly, security forces tore it down, shooting nine=20
protesters and killing one. "We will keep flying the flag," promises Isak=20
Onawame, a Protestant pastor who led the raising of the flag. "Even if the=
=20
military keeps shooting us."

For its part, Freeport is trying hard, if belatedly, to become the Papuans'=
=20
friend. In 1996 a routine traffic accident in Timika touched off=20
anti-Freeport riots in which security forces killed several Papuans. Shocked=
=20
into action, the company unveiled a new affirmative-action policy and=
pledged=20
1 percent of Freeport Indonesia's gross annual revenues to bettering local=
=20
conditions. Pastor Onawame is one of seven directors who administer the=
fund,=20
which last year netted $15 million. Everyone agrees the investment is doing=
=20
miracles. In Timika, for example, an antimalaria program has helped cut the=
=20
infection rate from 80 percent of the population to 10 percent. The company=
=20
also runs numerous public-service projects of its own, including a $3.5=20
million environmental lab and a new $4 million, 75-bed hospital, which one=
=20
Freeport doctor proudly calls "the most modern in eastern Indonesia." The=20
company even sponsors the provincial rugby team, memorably named for the=20
Papuans' most distinctive cultural symbol=97the Kotekas.

Most Papuans would hate to give up the company's programs. Besides, Freeport=
=20
provides nearly half of the province's gross domestic product. But Freeport=
=20
is also Indonesia's biggest taxpayer. From 1992 through 1998, the company=20
paid the Jakarta government a total of $1.27 billion in dividends, royalties=
=20
and corporate taxes. Little of it has ever come back to the Papuans, company=
=20
executives admit; almost none to the mine's own district. Shutting down the=
=20
mine would hurt Jakarta badly, and Papuan activists know it. "If Jakarta=20
doesn't give us independence=97and soon=97Freeport should be closed," says=
Pastor=20
Onawame. "We will return to our former lives as tribal people."

Not likely. In the past three decades, thousands of tribal Papuans have=20
trekked barefoot across the jagged Sudirman Mountains, 4,000 meters above=
sea=20
level, to seek better lives in Freeport country. Many of them became dump=20
scavengers rather than return home to their kotekas and grass skirts. Still,=
=20
even some Freeport executives don't blame Papuans for feeling fed up. "I=20
think 60 to 70 percent of Papuans understand what we are trying to do," says=
=20
Stan Batey, head of Freeport's community-liaison office. "But we can't=
expect=20
them to be grateful." Fairly or unfairly, Papuans often hold Freeport=20
responsible for a long list of unresolved grievances: decades of abuse by=
the=20
Indonesian military; epidemic levels of alcoholism; wholesale destruction of=
=20
indigenous cultures; dispossession from ancient tribal lands, and a massive=
=20
influx of roughly 1 million Indonesian settlers in recent years. Many of=
West=20
Papua's 1.5 million or so indigenous inhabitants fear they may soon become a=
=20
minority in their own land.

There are no answers in sight. Freeport says it's searching, nonetheless.=
"We=20
can't simply be neutral, disengage and hope to continue making profits,"=
says=20
Bruce Marsh, the company's vice president for environmental affairs. "We=
have=20
to bring good people on all sides together to talk." Wahid himself visited=
=20
the provincial capital on New Year's Eve and offered to open discussions on=
=20
issues from human-rights abuses to revenue sharing to partial=20
autonomy=97anything but full independence, which he insists is impossible.=
=20
Already he has boosted the province's share of the national budget 20=20
percent, to $47 million for this year. Tom Bernal, a front-running candidate=
=20
to head the separatists' coalition, just shakes his head. No one takes the=
=20
Papuans seriously, he says. Not that he's complaining. "Let them continue=20
looking at us as being backward," he says. "We'd rather be underestimated=
for=20
now." He's glad of the chance to get ready for a long, hard struggle.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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=20
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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

You can also un/subscribe at http://www.irja.org/conf.htm via a user
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====================================================================================

Subj: Stratfor: U.S. Oil Company Threatens Support for Indon Separatism
Date: 2/26/00 5:01:56 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org, indonesia-act@igc.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Stratfor Commentary
February 24, 2000

Oil Company Threatens Support for Indonesian Separatism

U.S. oil company PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia and Indonesia's state oil
Pertamina have been locked in negotiations for months over a share-splitting
deal for the Coastal Plain Pekanbaru field in Indonesia's Riau, one of many
restive provinces seeking greater autonomy from the government in Jakarta.
Caltex, a joint venture of Chevron and Texaco, has insisted on retaining
control of at least half the field's shares; Pertamina demands a 65 percent
cut.

Pertamina has called on Jakarta to end the impasse. In response, Caltex has
used its most dangerous bargaining chip. Last week, a company spokesman
voiced his support for the Riau government's campaign to gain full control of
the field when the company's contract ends in 2001, reported the Jakarta
Post. The remark, whether bluff or guarantee, boils down to a direct assault
on Indonesian unity for the simple sake of profit. The government in Jakarta
will have no choice but to respond harshly ­ even if it means cutting Caltex
out of the deal entirely.

Calls for autonomy in Riau are largely a function of economics. The province
supplies more than half of Indonesia's oil and receives only 1.4 percent of
the approximate $8 billion (59 trillion rupiah) it delivers to Jakarta
annually, according to the Far Eastern Economic Review. In demanding
autonomy, the province is demanding greater access to its own substantial
revenue.

Under the central government's existing contract with Caltex, the company
keeps 15 percent of the output and gives the rest straight to the central
government. Gaining control of the Pekanbaru field would give Riau access to
profits from the 70,000 barrels pumped per day. The local government would
likely continue using Caltex to operate the field. In fact, the prospect of
extracting a better deal from the local government may be a factor in the
company's support for Riau.

But Riau's demands for increased autonomy are anathema to Indonesia unity.
Jakarta relies on financial control of the resource-rich provinces to feed
the center and fund the government. The areas most plagued by separatist
violence ­ Timor, Aceh and Irian Jaya ­ are also the centers of the
foreign-dominated extraction industry. Jakarta is now in the process of
renegotiating many of the Suharto-era contracts with foreign extraction
companies. If the government capitulates to one company, other companies may
mimic its strategy.

Even more significantly, many Indonesians, including large factions of the
political elite, argue that granting autonomy to the provinces would plot a
collision course with total disintegration. Indeed, the country's stability
under former President Suharto largely resulted from his ironclad control.
President Abdurrahman Wahid initiated a debate in Jakarta over the
possibility of federalism as a solution to Indonesia's problems ­ which drew
harsh criticism and ended with him abandoning the idea and committing to
stronger central control.

Jakarta will not take Caltex's challenge lightly. Without a doubt, the
company has not improved its bargaining position by holding a knife to
Jakarta's Achilles heel. Publicly, the central government has demanded that
the company explain its "alleged attempt to provoke the Riau regional
administration," reported Asia Pulse. Behind closed doors, Caltex is likely
getting far more severe warnings. Ultimately, Jakarta may choose a surefire
way to cut its risks: It may simply throw the company out and find a new firm
to take over its production.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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: Newsweek: Separatist Rage in Exploited West Papua
Date: 2/26/00 4:59:04 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Newsweek International,
February 28, 2000

Digging for Trouble

[Seeing words like 'wild' West Papua and 'stone-age tribes', I was almost
minded to pass this over but it turns out to be more useful than these
stupid remarks would suggest. So here is it.]


PHOTO: A West Papua man sits alongside a painting of Jesus, which says "Give
Back Our Freedom" (David N. Berkwitz — Newsweek)

Separatist rage runs loose in wild West Papua, home of stone-age tribes and
the world's richest gold mine

By Ron Moreau

The Aghawagon Valley hardly seems like one of the wealthiest places on earth.
The Indonesian government has spent as little as possible on developing the
California-size province of Irian Jaya. In remote corners of the mountainous
interior, local women still wear only grass skirts and men go naked except
for a traditional koteka, a decorative gourd to cover the penis. Life tends
to be far less picturesque along the Aghawagon River, where jeans, T shirts
and shabby dresses are the rule. Three years ago the overcrowded valley's
poverty broke into tribal war between the native Amungme people and the more
numerous Dani settlers who were lured here from hundreds of kilometers away
by false hopes of easy money for illiterate laborers. Nine people were killed
before local authorities could restore peace. Thousands of inhabitants were
relocated down the frothy, dark-gray river, to new homes in the delta town of
Timika. Thousands of others remain, most of them scratching a subsistence
from the land.

Only a few kilometers upstream, the world's richest gold mine empties its
tailings directly into the murky river. Every day roughly 220,000 tons of
waste gravel are discharged into the Aghawagon. The mine's owner, a
subsidiary of the giant American firm Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.,
insists the river's water is safe to drink. The locals don't believe it. They
regard themselves as beaten down and exploited, and almost everyone blames
both the mining firm and the faraway Jakarta government. "Freeport and
Indonesia are the enemy," says Simon Bukaleng, a laborer at a
Freeport-sponsored farm project in the valley. "They oppress us, pollute the
environment and take away our riches. We want independence."

Rebellion hangs in the cool, damp air. Inspired by the example of East Timor,
which won its freedom from Indonesia last year, a long-suppressed spirit of
separatism is erupting all over Irian Jaya. (The native New Guinea islanders
prefer the name West Papua.) The incipient uprising is only one of the
challenges facing Indonesia's popular reformist president, Abdurrahman Wahid,
as he desperately tries to avert bloody collapses on all sides: in Aceh (next
story), in the Molucca Islands, where religious riots have killed more than
1,000 people, even within his own Army's restive officer corps. In late
February about 200 tribal, religious and community leaders from all over West
Papua are expected to convene in the provincial capital, Jayapura, to name an
official head for their separatist coalition. They promise to use only
peaceful tactics—at first, anyway. John Rumbiak, a Papuan human-rights
activist, warns: "If Jakarta doesn't respond to our calls for a dialogue, our
separatist feelings will grow stronger—and more dangerous."

Danger is something Papuans can talk about from harsh experience. During the
32-year regime of President Suharto, his armed forces conducted a
scorched-earth war in an ultimately unsuccessful effort to eradicate the Free
Papua Movement (OPM), a tiny, disorganized and ill-equipped guerrilla army.
Hoping to break the rebels, many of them armed with nothing heavier than bows
and arrows, the Indonesian military bombed, strafed and burned hundreds of
villages. Rebels were arrested, tortured and summarily executed—along with
hundreds of innocent villagers. Many Papuans began to identify the military
with Freeport. "For years Papuans saw the Indonesian military coming in
Freeport helicopters, boats, trucks and jeeps," says an American missionary.
"So it's hard for them to see the difference." Human-rights activists say
sometimes the prisoners were hauled away in Freeport buses and even jailed in
Freeport shipping containers. Freeport vice president Paul Murphy denies that
any of the company's employees were involved. He says any company equipment
had been commandeered by Jakarta's military.

The government's brutality has continued, even after the end of Suharto's
rule in 1998. Last November in the delta town of Timika, a group of
protesters hoisted the Papuan independence flag in the yard of the local
Roman Catholic church. Indonesian officials left it alone for nearly a week.
Then, abruptly and forcibly, security forces tore it down, shooting nine
protesters and killing one. "We will keep flying the flag," promises Isak
Onawame, a Protestant pastor who led the raising of the flag. "Even if the
military keeps shooting us."

For its part, Freeport is trying hard, if belatedly, to become the Papuans'
friend. In 1996 a routine traffic accident in Timika touched off
anti-Freeport riots in which security forces killed several Papuans. Shocked
into action, the company unveiled a new affirmative-action policy and pledged
1 percent of Freeport Indonesia's gross annual revenues to bettering local
conditions. Pastor Onawame is one of seven directors who administer the fund,
which last year netted $15 million. Everyone agrees the investment is doing
miracles. In Timika, for example, an antimalaria program has helped cut the
infection rate from 80 percent of the population to 10 percent. The company
also runs numerous public-service projects of its own, including a $3.5
million environmental lab and a new $4 million, 75-bed hospital, which one
Freeport doctor proudly calls "the most modern in eastern Indonesia." The
company even sponsors the provincial rugby team, memorably named for the
Papuans' most distinctive cultural symbol—the Kotekas.

Most Papuans would hate to give up the company's programs. Besides, Freeport
provides nearly half of the province's gross domestic product. But Freeport
is also Indonesia's biggest taxpayer. From 1992 through 1998, the company
paid the Jakarta government a total of $1.27 billion in dividends, royalties
and corporate taxes. Little of it has ever come back to the Papuans, company
executives admit; almost none to the mine's own district. Shutting down the
mine would hurt Jakarta badly, and Papuan activists know it. "If Jakarta
doesn't give us independence—and soon—Freeport should be closed," says Pastor
Onawame. "We will return to our former lives as tribal people."

Not likely. In the past three decades, thousands of tribal Papuans have
trekked barefoot across the jagged Sudirman Mountains, 4,000 meters above sea
level, to seek better lives in Freeport country. Many of them became dump
scavengers rather than return home to their kotekas and grass skirts. Still,
even some Freeport executives don't blame Papuans for feeling fed up. "I
think 60 to 70 percent of Papuans understand what we are trying to do," says
Stan Batey, head of Freeport's community-liaison office. "But we can't expect
them to be grateful." Fairly or unfairly, Papuans often hold Freeport
responsible for a long list of unresolved grievances: decades of abuse by the
Indonesian military; epidemic levels of alcoholism; wholesale destruction of
indigenous cultures; dispossession from ancient tribal lands, and a massive
influx of roughly 1 million Indonesian settlers in recent years. Many of West
Papua's 1.5 million or so indigenous inhabitants fear they may soon become a
minority in their own land.

There are no answers in sight. Freeport says it's searching, nonetheless. "We
can't simply be neutral, disengage and hope to continue making profits," says
Bruce Marsh, the company's vice president for environmental affairs. "We have
to bring good people on all sides together to talk." Wahid himself visited
the provincial capital on New Year's Eve and offered to open discussions on
issues from human-rights abuses to revenue sharing to partial
autonomy—anything but full independence, which he insists is impossible.
Already he has boosted the province's share of the national budget 20
percent, to $47 million for this year. Tom Bernal, a front-running candidate
to head the separatists' coalition, just shakes his head. No one takes the
Papuans seriously, he says. Not that he's complaining. "Let them continue
looking at us as being backward," he says. "We'd rather be underestimated for
now." He's glad of the chance to get ready for a long, hard struggle.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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] Teacher shortage in Irian Jaya
Date: 2/26/00 12:09:28 AM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
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Reply-to: admin@irja.org

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The Jakarta Post.com
Across the Archipelago
February 26, 2000
Teacher shortage in Irian Jaya

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: At least 12,000 elementary school teachers are
urgently needed in Irian Jaya, the head of the provincial teaching
and education office, J.P. Letsoin, said on Friday.

"We needed at least 5,000 religion teachers and some 7,000 teachers
for various subjects," Letsoin said.

Despite the high demand for teachers, about 600 already working in
the province have requested transfers out of Irian Jaya.

The unstable political situation in Irian Jaya, particularly with
growing calls for independence, have prompted many teachers to flee,
he said.

"In some cases, students even chased away their teachers and threw
stones at them when they gave lectures about Indonesian history,"
Letsoin said.

The official called on the political elite, community and religious
leaders, legislators and local government officials in the restive
province to find an immediate solution. "Otherwise we may lose a
generation due to a lack of schooling."

Meanwhile, thousands of houses built for elementary school teachers
in remote villages in Jayawijaya district have been abandoned by
their occupants due to rampant theft in these areas.

The houses were constructed near the 311 elementary schools spread
over 28 subdistricts in Jayawijaya.

Teachers apparently prefer to live in rented houses in the district
capital of Wamena, despite often having to endure a three to
four-hour journey to their schools.

"We feel unsafe. At night we cannot sleep," said Eko, a teacher at
Kulagaima elementary school in Hibikosi subdistrict. (eba/edt)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] New regencies not ready for local polls: Official
Date: 2/26/00 12:09:05 AM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
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he Jakarta Post.com
National News
February 26, 2000
New regencies not ready for local polls: Official

PEKANBARU, Riau (JP): An assistant to the state minister of regional
autonomy, Andi Alfian Mallarangeng, urged planned elections in newly
formed provinces and regencies be postponed.

Mallarangeng said the areas' financial and security preparations for
the elections were insufficient.

"The planned local elections should be canceled because the new
provinces and regencies lack the necessary software. Social
conflicts are also still raging in those areas," he said during a
panel discussion here on Thursday. Local elections originally were
planned for June 1 following the government's decision to increase
the number of provinces in Indonesia. Follow-up elections also are
scheduled in some areas of Aceh which could not hold elections last
year due to security concerns.

All told, local elections are planned for 43 regencies in Aceh, and
in the new provinces of North Maluku, West Papua and Central Papua.

Mallarangeng, who is also a member of the General Elections
Commission (KPU), said given the present economic conditions, it
also would be financially burdensome to the government to allocate
the estimated Rp 220 billion required to hold the elections.

He added that most political parties also would find it difficult to
mount serious campaigns given their expenditures in the June 7
general election.

"Furthermore, numerous parties have proposed the government give
them Rp 500 million each for the elections.

"Nobody is barred from establishing parties, but don't ask the
government for money," he said.

Mallarangeng said it was important for local elections to be held,
but their success depended on whether conditions were favorable for
such an important undertaking.

Security, the availability of financing, the political parties'
preparedness to campaign and the participation of voters are crucial
factors that have to be taken into consideration, he said.

Mallarangeng said the first step after postponing local elections in
some areas was simply to refer to the overall results of the June 7
general election to ensure representation for those areas.

For example, the provincial legislative council in North Maluku
could comprise parties in proportion to the results of the June
elections in all of Maluku.

Following this step, a more independent and professional elections
commission should be formed to organize the local elections, he
said.

The House of Representatives and the government recently agreed to
revise the law on general elections to pave the way for the
President to dissolve KPU and establish a new, independent body.(11)



KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] New regencies not ready for local polls: Official
Date: 2/26/00 12:09:05 AM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
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he Jakarta Post.com
National News
February 26, 2000
New regencies not ready for local polls: Official

PEKANBARU, Riau (JP): An assistant to the state minister of regional
autonomy, Andi Alfian Mallarangeng, urged planned elections in newly
formed provinces and regencies be postponed.

Mallarangeng said the areas' financial and security preparations for
the elections were insufficient.

"The planned local elections should be canceled because the new
provinces and regencies lack the necessary software. Social
conflicts are also still raging in those areas," he said during a
panel discussion here on Thursday. Local elections originally were
planned for June 1 following the government's decision to increase
the number of provinces in Indonesia. Follow-up elections also are
scheduled in some areas of Aceh which could not hold elections last
year due to security concerns.

All told, local elections are planned for 43 regencies in Aceh, and
in the new provinces of North Maluku, West Papua and Central Papua.

Mallarangeng, who is also a member of the General Elections
Commission (KPU), said given the present economic conditions, it
also would be financially burdensome to the government to allocate
the estimated Rp 220 billion required to hold the elections.

He added that most political parties also would find it difficult to
mount serious campaigns given their expenditures in the June 7
general election.

"Furthermore, numerous parties have proposed the government give
them Rp 500 million each for the elections.

"Nobody is barred from establishing parties, but don't ask the
government for money," he said.

Mallarangeng said it was important for local elections to be held,
but their success depended on whether conditions were favorable for
such an important undertaking.

Security, the availability of financing, the political parties'
preparedness to campaign and the participation of voters are crucial
factors that have to be taken into consideration, he said.

Mallarangeng said the first step after postponing local elections in
some areas was simply to refer to the overall results of the June 7
general election to ensure representation for those areas.

For example, the provincial legislative council in North Maluku
could comprise parties in proportion to the results of the June
elections in all of Maluku.

Following this step, a more independent and professional elections
commission should be formed to organize the local elections, he
said.

The House of Representatives and the government recently agreed to
revise the law on general elections to pave the way for the
President to dissolve KPU and establish a new, independent body.(11)



KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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

Subj: SBS Dateline Story
Date: 2/25/00 11:03:57 PM Central Standard Time
From: richard@png.pactok.net (Richard Brunton)
To: kabar-irian@irja.org
CC: eastnet@cenderawasih.net, reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org (reg.westpapua)



West Papua
Dateline 23/2/00

Reporter: Matthew Carney

This is the anniversary of independence lost. In 1961 the Dutch had prepared
and granted the West Papuans their nationhood. But by 1969 Indonesia had
taken it from them. For decades the West Papuans have paid the price for
struggling against Indonesia rule. At least 50 000 have lost their lives.

This was a rare opportunity to mourn together for their brothers and sisters
who had been killed by the Indonesian military

But there was reason to celebrate.

For the thousands of West Papuans and their leaders a new battle for
independence has begun - from armed resistance in the jungles to peaceful
protest and diplomacy inthe towns and villages.

And what was significant was that Indonesian authorities tolerated this
dissent. Here in Jayapura 2 months ago there was no machine gun fire or late
night arrests.

Chief Theusy Elaway led the days proceedings. He is the recently anointed
spiritual leader of West Papua and part of the evolving civil leadership

"What further steps do you think the leaders should take? After we have a
commitment from Indonesia, the next step is to continue the dialogue or
negotiations, to keep moving them forward, so that sooner or later if
Indonesia does not restore our rights to us we believe that God will do
something to them."

For almost 40 years the world has only seen and heard of the OPM guerillas
fighting in the bushes for independence. But now a civil leadership has
emerged that has rejected violence and embraced negotiation as the way to
independence.

The opportunity for such a movement came with the downfall of Suharto and
the transition to democracy. Its only now the movement is developing
momentum.

The civil leadership are on their way to meet Indonesian Vice President
Megawati Sukarnoputri to hold talks about self rule.

Willy Manbowen is a central figure who is trying to structure and focus the
many groups competing for a voice.

"We work through traditional leaders, religious leaders, student movements.
We are at the beginning stage of selecting the right people for the right
leadership.'

Tom Beanal is a key leadership contender who came to prominence by winning
concessions for his Omunggme people from the giant US owned Freeport mine.

They were given only 12 hours notice before the meeting with megawati. A
tactic they say is designed to confuse them.

"We will not surrender to Indonesia's might We can we sure of that. The
people are the ones who should choose, not us. We don't even know who rules
here. We didn't know. We just got the tickets from the airport. We were sent
here like goats."

At this stage the most crucial challenge for the civil leadership is to
forge unity out of many factions fighting for the same goal. If they don't,
Indonesia's strategy of divide and rule will neutralize any progress towards
independence. Unity is a task made more difficult by the vast geography that
has created 250 separate tribal groups.

"We need to be of one mind, one emotion, so we have one vision and one
mission, so people will realise we are Papuans. Otherwise they will see us
as separate ethnic groups fighting for our own cause and this mustn't
happen. The people of West Papua want independence. It's not just me who
wants it.."

For the meeting with Megawati Willy Manbowen decides they should present a
collective leadership of fifteen.

"This is also a struggle for democratic equality. So I feel you need to
understand that we must discuss everything before he public."

At the venue of the conference in Biak Megawati's entourage arrives - five
Indonesian government ministers, top military brass, and numerous
intelligence personal.

Behind the riot police West Papuans show up in support of their leaders. The
last time they held a protest in July 1998 at least 26 were massacred by
Indonesian forces.

"We don't won't to die from Indonesian soldier. They kill a lot of Papuan
people. We don't want kill again...we want one thing freedom."


Inside their hotel room as Willy Manbowen and Tom Beanal prepare to meet
Megawati they learn that she is only going to give them half an hour of her
time.

"You're given half an hour dialogue?

-yes and one hour is her monologue. That's why we think the mechanism of the
meeting is not very democratic . We think the people should have a chance to
express something"

"Where does it leave you? Where does it leave the movement?

-There is a need for international organisations to get involved motivating
a more genuine and democratic dialogue.

"Without international pressure they won't do anything?"

-it seems so."

Soon after this I was by detained intelligence personal and stopped from
filming. But for the team of 15 the message from Megawati was clear -
Independence is not an option.

The fundamental problem for the independence leadership is that the
Indonesians have colonized West Papua very effectively. Indonesia controls
the economy and has entrenched its culture in the heartland of Melanesia.

In 1971 Indonesians made up only 4% of the provinces population and today
people born outside of the province make up nearly 50%. If a referendum on
Independence was held today it is uncertain which way it would go.

With the pressure on for independence Indonesia is securing its territory.
We are on our way to Arso, a transmigration camp of about 30 000, near the
border with Papua New Guinea. Like 20 other sites across West Papua the
Indonesians have taken tribal lands, cleared them and sponsored landless
Javanese to come and settle.


Muswardi and his family are the latest to arrive at Arso. They were among
500 families who came last March from Central Java.

"Life is much easier here than in Java. After accepting our land allocation
here we've been able to grow food. Anything we plant here is able to grow. I
ncomparison, life is hard in Java. It's very heavily populated. We are part
of transmigration. We're here to change our fortunes.."

Spontaneous migration is also fast making West Papuans a minority in their
own land. Not just the Javanese who came for government jobs and the
commerce but the migrants who have flooded in from surrounding provinces.


This group of fisherman came from Sulewasi 3 months ago, refugees from
Indonesia's economic crisis.

"Life here is quite good. I have enough money to eat. The conditions are
quite good too."

This flow is increasing with religious troubles in nearby provinces like
Maluku

In economic terms Indonesia cannot afford to let West Papua go. Its massive
mineral wealth and forest resources provide billions of dollars to Jakarta
in hard currency. To lose West Papua would challenge Indonesia's financial
viability.

"Indonesia has a very big debt. In order to pay off that debt the Indonesian
government must invest in Papua. So Papua becomes the security for
Indonesia's debt. Mines and forests will pay off Indonesia's debt. All that
is taken from Papua. So it is difficult economically for Indonesia to
release Papua."

Yali is the only organisation fighting the forests of West Papua. They
believe independence is the only way to stop Indonesia plundering the
largest tracts of rainforest outside the Amazon. The Indonesian government
has already sold half of West Papua's rainforest for logging rights. And
they use the might of the Indonesian military to squash any objections from
the landowners.

The logging area Yali is visiting here is run by a company called Hanurata.
Haj Probo Sue/ted /jo the brother of ex president Suharto owns the company
along with Indonesian army Generals

Demianus Lambertus is one of the landowners. He says the company has given
nothing to him or his community since it started operations in 1983.

DEMIANUS:

"I'm angry but they don't care. I asked for money, as the owner, but I got
nothing"


The military has forcibly moved Demianus and his family three times to make
room for logging operations. He has recently been beaten for a fourth time.

DEMIANUS:

"What happened with the army? It was about a car. The car belonged to the
community. The army was using it without paying for it. They used it for a
few months. We said it was for public use and asked for some money. Where
was their payment for the vehicle? They used it for 3 months. When I
insisted they beat me.

John Rumbiack has devoted his life to keeping West Papua on the
international agenda. He believes the case for independence can be won
because West Papua was illegally transferred to Indonesia in 1969. The act
of free choice, sponsored by the United Nations allowed the Indonesians to
choose only one thousand Papuans to vote out of a population of one million.

RUMBIACK:

"If the historically part is acknowledged then the West Papuan case has to
be taken back to the UN. It's the only way to resolve the case of West
Papua."

Rumbiack says like the Portuguese in East Timor, the former colonial power
in West Papua the Dutch will play a crucial role in bringing West Papua's
case to world attention.

The Dutch government is opening an inquiry into the act of free choice and
is looking at ways to push the case before the European Union and United
Nations.

To strengthen their international image and provide a rallying point for
domestic unity the West Papuans are holding a Papuan Congress later this
week to pick a national leader.

WILLY:

" When people have a sense of togetherness regardless of religion or any
other discrimination people will stand together and fight for the truth in a
peaceful way."

But the leadership face an immediate problem. The freedom of association and
expression crucial to develop the independence movement is controlled by the
Indonesian authorities.

And a crackdown may have already started. Chief Theusy is now in court on
charges of rebellion for his Independence activities.

A verdict is expected next month

In the wilds of the border between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia the OPM is
also undergoing a transition. For 35 years they have survived and fought an
Indonesian army thousands of times their size. They are a powerful symbol of
resistance all over West Papua.

Although they rarely, if ever, have contact with the civil leadership in the
townships Indonesian repression instead has forged a common identity and
cause.

WENDE:

"For too many years people have been sacrificed. Lives as well as riches
from the land of West Papua have been lost to Indonesia. Socially, this race
has been destroyed. So we Melanesians of West Papua have that inspiration.
We don't want people of a different skin colour killing and taking from us."

Mathius Wende is the Northern Commander of OPM or Free West Papua movement.
He has trekked for four weeks to meet for the first time the two OPM leaders
from the Southern Command, Colonel John and Bernard Mawen.

While Mathius Wende awaits the meeting he leads the celebrations for West
Papuan national day with his supporters.


The meeting to take place in several days will be a watershed for the OPM.
It will forsake the bloody factionalism of the past and usher in a new
command structure and political program for the future.

WENDE:

"That is why I have travelled to meet them at this place. I need the unity
of the people of Papua that's why I am here"

But at the last minute, as Wende prepares to travel down river for the
meeting with Colonel John and Bernard Mawen there is a problem. The OPM have
learnt that the Indonesian military have found out about the planned
meeting. They are forced to delay it. The risk is too great. If the three
senior leaders of the OPM were caught or killed it would cripple the
movement.

But as soon as the risk from the Indonesian military subsides and without
Mathius Wende we travel downstream to meet Colonel John to hear what the
OPM's new direction is.

Formulating the OPM's new structure and political program has been Colonel
Johns life's work.

Colonel John knows the OPM cannot win militarily so politics has to be the
frontline of the struggle. The first stage is political education - to teach
all the tribes of West Papua the importance of independence and the concept
of a nation.

JOHN:

"Unity is very important. Because during the past 35 years of our struggle
we have not been able to retaliate because we have lacked the unity to do
so. Each territory of West Papua fights its own battles..// 32.50 It is the
lack of political education that results in factions. With the lack of
political education regionalism is the result. If we promote political
education I believe we can build a strong sense of nationalism as in Aceh
and East Timor."


The OPM's new program involves more internal democracy, increased
communications between the regions and self reliance.

JOHN:

"I don't think our independence is an issue to be questioned. If we , the
people of West Papua, can unite and gather resources, be it manpower or
other resources I don't think it will be difficult. East Timor, a small
country, could eventually drive Indonesia to the brink and gain
independence. West Papua is a vast land where strategy is spreading. But we
have not united and made good use of that"

About a month after I left and when it was safe the three leaders did meet.
After a week of intense discussions and in the early hours of the morning
they declared factionalism dead and embraced the new political program.

Mathius Wende was named as Commander in chief of military affairs and
Bernard mawen as his deputy. Colonel John was officially accepted as
Commander in Chief of Political affairs.

The next step for the independence movement of West Papua is for civil
leadership and the OPM to come together. The greatest challenge is to
overcome an Indonesian government which desperately wants to hold onto West
Papua. To do this the West Papuans must convince the world to help them.

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

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Freeport statement on Antara article
Date: 2/25/00 9:56:23 AM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org (Admin)
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
Reply-to: admin@irja.org
To: kabar-irian@irja.org

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from: bruce_marsh@fmi.com

Dear Editor:

I am responding to the Antara article which you posted on your web site on
February 25th and would appreciate it if you could help us get factual
reporting on our environmental impacts and programs out to the public.

1. As predicted by the Regional AMDAL completed under the guidance of
BAPEDAL, tailings deposition is currently impacting 13,300 hectares and NOT
133,000 hectares as reported by Antara. By the end of the mine life we will
have impacted about 23,000 hectares.

2. As long as the mine operates, the tailings will continue to deposit in
the Ajkwa Deposition Area and it is very difficult to increase reclamtion
activities more than the current rate.

3. Our reclamation produces fantastic results and has demonstrated clearly
that a wide variety of native and agriculture tees and crops can grow in
these projects and the area will be sustainable for the long-term (not just
short term reclamation as reported).

4. The Montgomery Watson Environmental Audit did not say the ground water in
Tembagapura has been impacted. There is no data that would suggest this
could have happened.

5. Alan Krause did not say that the "ground water being used by residents of
Mimika district could have been contaminated with water from the lake."
Again there is no data that would suggest this could have happened.

We are one of the biggest mines in the world and like all mining we have
significant impacts. Our impacts are managed and monitoried and most are
reversible thanks to reclamation creating productive lands at the end of the
mine life.

It is unfortunate that Antara and then other newspapers in Jakarta ran this
story without checking the facts. We would appreciate it if reporters could
check with us before publishing their stories.

We welcome the planned investigation by the integrated team of the
Government of Indonesia so we can bring some understanding to these
important issues.

Thank you.
Bruce Marsh
VP Environmental Affairs
PT Freeport Indonesia
62-21-259-1817




KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] 133,000 Hectares In Freeport Mines Seriously Damaged
Date: 2/24/00 8:15:40 PM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org (Admin)
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
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National News
133,000 Hectares In Freeport Mines Seriously Damaged
- Bapedal
Thursday, February 24, 2000/2:10:16 PM
Jayapura, Irian Jaya, Feb 24 (ANTARA)

Some 133,000 hectares of land in PT Freeport
Indonesia’s mining
concession in Irian Jaya have been seriously damaged,
the
Environmental Impact Supervisory Board (Bapedal) has
said.

"Of the figure, only 124 hectares have been reclaimed
by the
company," head of Bapedal’s local office, M Ali
Kastella, said here
Thursday.

Kastella was explaining the results of Bapedal’s
recent inspection
in Freeport’s Tembagapura, Grasberg and Earsberg
mines.

He noted that the reclaimed area has been planted
only with
short-lived trees and plants, like banana trees,
pineapple and
vegetables, which will not give the locals long-term
benefits.

He said it would take Freeport a long time to reclaim
the area.

"The company is too slow in taking measures that
would prevent
damage. It has only reclaimed 124 hectares while the
damaged area is
too vast," he added.

On the audit conducted by an auditing firm from
Montgomery, Alabama,
US, Kastella said it was rejected because it has
failed to reveal
the extent of damage done to Irian Jaya’s ecosystem
and Freeport’s
efforts to handle this.

He said that in its audit, the American company asked
Freeport to
check the ground water in Tembagapura, the center of
the company’s
operations, as it could have been polluted when
Freeport dried the
Wanagon Lake.

Head of the that audit, Alan Klause, said last
Tuesday that the
ground water being used by residents of Mimika
district could have
been contaminated with water from the lake.

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] West Papuas 1969 referendum re-visited
Date: 2/24/00 8:15:29 PM Central Standard Time
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Tapol, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
Bulletin Online 156 - Jan/Feb 2000
West Papua’s 1969 ‘referendum’ re-visited

In August 1969, the Indonesian authorities conducted
an ‘Act of Free
Choice’ in West Papua as required by an agreement
with the Dutch
government concluded under UN auspices in 1962. There
was nothing
‘free’ about the Act which involved 1,025 hand-picked
‘tribal chiefs
’ who decided at gunpoint that their country should
remain part of
Indonesia. Recently de-classified information shows
that the West
connived in the betrayal. The Dutch government has
now acknowledged
that the 1969 Act should be re-examined.

‘I cannot imagine the US, Japanese, Dutch or
Australian Governments
putting at risk their economic and political
relations with
Indonesia on a matter of principle involving a
relatively small
number of very primitive people.’ -British diplomat,
1968

The Dutch government’s decision to review the 1969
Act announced on
11 December 1999, represents a break- through. Until
now, all
western governments have completely ignored the
issue. The Dutch
decision came in response to pressure from the Dutch
Parliament.
Member of parliament Van Middelkoep of the
Gereformeerd Politiek
Verbond succeeded in persuading Foreign Minister Van
Aarsten that a
review was called for and the minister suggested that
it might be
undertaken by the Dutch Institute for War
Documentation, NIOD, which
investigated the slaughter of Muslims in Srebrenice,
Bosnia. Van
Middelkoep said: ‘Finally we can look the Papuans
straight in the
eyes.’

The matter had been raised at a seminar in Amsterdam
held to mark
the thirtieth anniversary on 19 November 1999 of the
UN General
Assembly’s decision to ‘take note of’ a report on the
Act, thereby
endorsing the results of the Act and removing the
question of West
Papua from the UN’s agenda.

The task of examining recently de-classified UN
documents in the
period up to the conduct of the Act is being carried
out by John
Saltford, a PhD student at Hull Univesity, UK. He
gave a lecture at
the seminar on West Papua in the Netherlands on 20
November 1999.
The following draws largely on information that he
has brought to
light.

The Act of ‘Free’ Choice took place seven years after
Indonesia had
taken control of the territory under the terms of the
New York
Agreement between the Netherlands and Indonesia,
brokered by a US
diplomat acting for the UN. A year before the Act was
due to take
place, the UN set up a team led by Bolivian diplomat
Fernando Ortiz
Sanz to ‘assist, advise and participate’ in the Act.
In the event,
the UN team’s role was nothing more than peripheral.

The three Indonesians who were in control of events
in West Papua
(then known as West Irian) were Brigadier- General
Sarwo Edhie, of
the special forces then known as RPKAD, who was the
military
commander of the territory, Major-General Ali
Murtopo, Suharto’s top
intelligence officer who was put in charge of
organising the Act of
‘Free’ Choice, and Sudjarwo, a senior official from
the Indonesian
foreign ministry whose task was to liaise with the
UN.

Many observers knew at the time that a free vote in
West Papua would
have come down in favour of separation from Indonesia
but Indonesia
was determined to prevent this and the western
powers, by then
enjoying expanding economic ties with Indonesia’s
military dictator,
General Suharto, were not minded to stand in their
way.

One British diplomat commented in April 1968:

The strength of the Indonesian position lies in the
fact
that....they must know that, even if there are
protests about the
way they go through the motions of consultation, no
other power is
likely to conceive it as being in their interests to
intervene.
There will be protests from the Papuan exiles in
Holland, Japan and
at the United Nations. I understand that the exiles
may find some
support in the Australian press. But I cannot imagine
the US,
Japanese, Dutch or Australian Governments putting at
risk their
economic and political relations with Indonesia on a
matter of
principle involving a relatively small number of very
primitive
people.

Three months later, these sentiments were echoed in a
British
Foreign Office communication:

The plain fact is that there is no other solution
than for Indonesia
to keep West Irian; no one is thinking in different
terms; and no
responsible Government is likely to complain so long
as the
decencies are carried out.

In May 1968, the British High Commissioner in
Canberra reported that
from Australia’s point of view, ‘the more quietly the
act of
self-determination passes off next year, the better’.
[These
comments were echoed seven years later in mid 1975,
when British, US
and Australian diplomats in Jakarta were making
recommendations to
their governments in secret cables about how their
countries should
respond to Indonesia’s impending invasion of East
Timor.]

UN envoy collaborates in the betrayal

Ortiz Sanz made two short visits to West Papua in
1968 and sent some
grossly inaccurate reports to the UN secretariat in
New York which
was headed at the time by Secretary-General U Thant,
about
conditions in the territory which bore no relation to
the well
documented unpopularity and brutality of the
Indonesian military
rule. De-classified documents show that the
Indonesians were keen to
keep his visits to West Papua as brief as possible.
Indonesian
officials complained in December 1968 that his visit
had caused a
‘certain excitement’ among the Papuans which was
obstructing the
smooth running of the territory and it would be
better if he spent
more time in Jakarta where accommodation would be
much more
luxurious.

There was some sparring between Ortiz Sanz and
Indonesian officials
about whether the principle of ‘one person, one vote’
as required by
‘international practice’ under the 1962 New York
Agreement would be
applied. This was anathema to the Indonesians who
said they would
conduct the Act in accordance with the ‘Indonesian
practice’ of
musyawarah or reaching consensus . Eight Indonesian-
appointed
regional councils of tribal leaders would take part
in the Act.

In an attempt to preserve a modicum of democratic
practice, the UN
envoy proposed a mixed system, which would involve
direct voting in
some urban areas, but this too was rejected out of
hand by the
Indonesians.

After his second visit to West Papua in December
1968, Ortiz Sanz
indicated in a report to UN headquarters in New York
that he was
aware of anti-Indonesian feelings in the territory
but had found it
difficult to make free contact with local people
because his team
had been followed everywhere by Indonesian officials.
Yet his report
shows that he had nothing but contempt for the local
people:

Of course, when the moment arrives, it would be very
difficult
indeed to assess the real importance of such anti-
Indonesian
sentiment since, as you are very well aware, only a
very
insignificant percentage of the population is capable
of or has
interest in engaging in any political actions or even
thoughts....The tour has confirmed my initial
impressions....that
the implementation of the provisions of the New York
Agreement
relating to self-determination ‘in accordance with
international
practice’ is, indeed impossible.

This report elicited a reply from Rolz-Bennett, the
UN deputy
secretary general, echoing Ortiz Sanz’ racist
sentiments. He wrote
that ‘the lack of development of the population stood
out all too
clearly’.

‘Elections’

As the Act drew near, UN officials were getting
apprehensive,
fearing that the blatant rigging of the Act could
make it difficult
to get the final results of the Act through the UN
General Assembly
without widespread opposition. They urged the
Indonesians to stage
elections for some of the councils and, to their
surprise, the
Indonesians agreed.

The nature of these ‘elections’ was revealed by an
Australian
journalist, Hugh Lunn, who was filing stories for the
Sydney Morning
Herald. In August 1999, Lunn was interviewed in a
documentary shown
on Australian television which included footage of
Lunn attending
one of these ‘elections’. Some Indonesians wearing
dark glasses, who
were obviously military intelligence officers, were
shown going into
the midst of a sullen and silent crowd of Papuans and
bringing out
six men they themselves had selected to ‘represent’
the community.
While this was going on, Lunn reports, the crowd
suddenly began
cheering as three of their fellow-countrymen at the
back of the
crowd unfurled banners calling for genuine elections;
they were
immediately arrested and taken away. When Lunn
appealed to Ortiz
Sanz who was also present, to intervene, he refused,
saying that he
was simply there to observe.

The British government was well aware of what was
going on. A
Foreign Office briefing sent to the UK mission in New
York on 10
September 1969 said:

The Indonesians took great care to ensure, in all
ways open to them,
that the chosen representatives would vote in favour
of West Irian
remaining in Indonesia.

Getting the Act through the UNGA

One of the recurring themes in the de-classified UN
documents is the
machinations of UN officials to ensure that when the
final result of
the Act was presented to the General Assembly for
approval, it would
go through with as little fuss as possible. The
documents show that
Indonesia’s senior civilian official in West Papua,
Sudjarwo was
worried about the Dutch government’s response
regarding the way the
Act had been conducted. Ortiz Sanz, in a grave breach
of his neutral
role as UN envoy charged to ensure the fair conduct
of the Act, told
his superiors in New York:

I advised him privately though emphatically that his
Government
should try to obtain assurances that the Netherlands’
Government
would not cast any doubt on, or challenge, the Act of
Free Choice.
This would prevent a heated debate in the General
Assembly.

Another document reveals that Secretary-General U
Thant was himself
not averse to advising the Indonesians on how to
expedite an easy
ride at the General Assembly. He wrote to Sudjarwo as
follows:

The Indonesian Government would have to consult very
diligently with
the Members of the General Assembly for the purpose
of preventing
the submission of a draft resolution touching on the
substance of
the West Irian matter.

A briefing from the British Foreign Office, sent on
10 September
1969 to the British mission at the UN in New York
said:

The delegation should ...avoid taking part in any
debate on the
item. ...We expect the Secretary-General’s report to
put the best
face on the completion of the Act, and to avoid
criticism of the Act

A slight hitch in the proceedings

In the event, when the Indonesians had got the
‘unanimous’ result
they wanted and Ortiz Sanz presented his report to
the General
Assembly in November 1969 along with reports from the
Secretary-General and the Indonesian government,
several African
countries condemned the exercise for being
undemocratic and called
for a proper act of self-determination to be held in
1975. They
tabled an amendment to the resolution before the
General Assembly to
this effect. The resolution was defeated by 60 votes
to fifteen,
with 39 abstentions.

With little further discussion, the General Assembly
then decided by
84 votes to none, with thirty abstentions simply ‘to
take note’ of
the Secretary-General’s report that the people of
West Papua had
opted unanimously to remain with Indonesia.

That low key formulation was the farthest the General
Assembly would
go in revealing its discomfort with what had happened
in West Papua
under the eye of a UN observer team. This led to West
Papua’s
removal from the UN agenda and its delivery, lock,
stock and barrel
to the mercy of the Indonesian military regime.

All these exposures provide us with ample material to
call upon
governments around the world to examine their own
behaviour and that
of the UN in that agency’s grave betrayal of the
people of West
Papua.

--------------------------------------------------------
------------
------------
All the relevant UN documents of 1969 on West Papua
have been
compiled together by PAVO, the Papuan Peoples Centre
for Study and
Information.
Contact PAVO, P.O.Box 801, 3500 AV Utrecht, the
Netherlands, email:
pavo@wxs.nl

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Military planning major reshuffle, says Suaidi
Date: 2/24/00 8:15:25 PM Central Standard Time
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The Jakarta Post.com
National News
February 25, 2000
Military planning major reshuffle, says Suaidi

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Military (TNI) is set to
announce
another round of reshuffling that involves 44
officers, including
some top brass, pending approval from the Army chief
of staff, TNI
Chief of General Affairs Lt. Gen. Suaidi Marasabessy
said on
Thursday.

Suaidi said after presenting awards to the state
telecommunications
company PT Telkom at TNI Headquarters in Cilangkap,
East Jakarta,
that "there is a sort of tug of war going on in the
Army over who
gets what".

He said it was certain that the Central Java, Maluku
and Irian Jaya
Military commanders would be replaced, while the Army
Strategic
Reserve Command (Kostrad) would have a new chief of
staff.

TNI will also name a new assistant to the TNI chief
of territorial
affairs and a deputy to the Air Force chief of staff.

"It has nothing to do with something political as a
tour of duty is
routine and the TNI Headquarters have prepared all
the necessary
administrative requirements.

"Just wait, we will announce them," he said.

Sources close to TNI said the reshuffle would also
affect Kostrad
chief Lt. Gen. Djadja Suparman, the Army Special
Force (Kopassus)
commander Maj. Gen. Sjahrir M.S. and Suaidi.

Suaidi refused to comment on the report, but said he
was prepared
for new duty. "It wouldn't be a surprise if it is so.
I am ready for
any position entrusted to me."

The source said he has been appointed as an
ambassador.

Suaidi dismissed speculation that internal and
external pressures
linked to the current political development were
behind the planned
reshuffle, saying that the TNI commander received
full support from
all elements in the military and the civilian
government.

Consulting the President, in his capacity as the
supreme military
commander, remains imperative in a reshuffle that
involves the
second and top echelons in TNI, Suaidi said.

Analysts have speculated that President Abdurrahman
Wahid is
cleaning up a certain faction within the military
which is close to
the previous regime by appointing new faces for
strategic posts
formerly held by Army members.

Widodo A.S., a navy admiral, was named TNI chief, Air
Vice Marshall
Ian Perdanakusumah as head of TNI Intelligence Agency
(Bais) and Air
Rear Marshall Graito Usodo as TNI spokesman. (emf)

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] European Community Supports Recovery Development
Date: 2/24/00 8:15:30 PM Central Standard Time
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National News
European Community Supports Recovery Development In
Aceh, Maluku
Thursday, February 24, 2000/1:30:17 PM
Brussels, Feb 24 (ANTARA)

The European Community (EU) comprising 15 countries,
has pledged a
full support to the complete settlement of the people
conflicts and
the recovery development in Indonesia’s restive
provinces of Aceh,
Maluku and Irian Jaya, where the form of support will
be discussed
by the International Dialogue Foundation (IDF), a
diplomat said.

"IDF has expressed its readiness to give full support
to conduct a
conference relating to the perspective in a bid to
step up
cooperation between EU and Indonesia," Indonesian
Ambassador to EU,
Nasrudin Sumintapura told ANTARA here Wednesday.

The conference which is slated to be held in the
Hague, the
Netherlands on May 12-13, 2000 will be jointly led by
the former
Netherlands Prime Minister, Ruud Lubbers and chairman
of Indonesia’s
Economic Advisory Council, Prof. Emil Salim.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance
and Industry,
Kwik Kian Gie and Foreign Affairs Minister, Alwi
Shihab are
scheduled to convey addresses representing Indonesian
government.

According to Sumintapura, the conference reflects
that the EU
resumes enhancing their attention to help overcome
Indonesian
problems.

"This conference as a follow up of President
Abdurahman Wahid’s
talks with the EU’s officials during his recent visit
to EU," the
ambassador said, adding that the IDF welcomes the
effort to stepping
up EU-Indonesia’s ties.

Chairman of IDF’s executive council, Peter Inderburg,
following
President Wahid’s visit to the Netherlands, has sent
a letter to
Sumintapura, expressing hope to combining ideas for
preparation of
the conference with the main topic of discussion is
about the way to
improve potentials of developing economy, politics,
regional
developments and cooperation to protect the human
rights.

Sumintapura cited that minister Kwik Kian Gie will
expose in the
conference about information on the country’s state
budget, 2000 in
its relation with the government’s effort to enhance
the economic
activities as well as the business sector.

"This conference is also expected to restore the EU’s
confidence to
the country situation in effort to place their
investment or
relocate their business in Indonesia without
hesitation. Thus,
Indonesian businessemen are also expected to make use
of the
conference to broaden their lobby," he noted.

EU comprising Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium,
Denmark, Finland,
England, Italy Irland, Germany, Luxemburg, France,
Portugal, Sweden,
Spain and the Greece.

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: JP: Churches reject Papuan separatists
Date: 2/24/00 5:01:43 PM Central Standard Time
From: Joyo@aol.com (by way of Charles Scheiner )
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Jakarta Post
February 25, 2000

Churches reject Papuan separatists

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): All 11 Protestant denominations here have declared
their rejection of the separatist movement, but vowed to maintain truth and
justice for the sake of peace in the restive province.

Rev. John Imbiri, secretary of the synod of the Evangelical Christian Church
(GKI), told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that the rejection was clear
evidence that the churches took a neutral stance in the political fray that
has long battered the easternmost province.

Imbiri said that the declaration signed by church leaders would be made
public soon. "People want to know whether the churches reject or support the
demand for independent West Papua."

The declaration says that the independence demand was an old issue. "The
desire has become stronger following injustice and human rights violation for
more than 30 years. But the churches do not take sides with any group." The
declaration also says that Church is "to proclaim the arrival of the Kingdom
of God along with its values like truth, justice, peace and rejoicing."

Enhancing truth and justice is the prerequisite for peace, the church leaders
said, "therefore, the churches reject any attempt to oppose the value of
truth and justice".

The churches will continue raising a prophetic voice against any institutions
or individuals when dignity is not respected by rights violations,
discrimination and any form of injustice, the statement said.

Meanwhile in Sentani, some 30 kilometers south of here, some 2,500 people
attended the first ever Papuan Congress, which was opened on Wednesday.

The congress, sponsored by the Institute of the Papuan Assembly, was aimed at
finding peaceful solutions to the lingering problems in Papua.

Twenty-eight leading figures of the Free Papua Movement (OPM), who live in
Papua New Guinea (PNG) also attended the congress, which will end on Feb. 26.

Frans Albert Yoku, leader of the PNG delegation, told the Post that the
delegation consisted of residents of Irian Jaya (West Papua) who escaped to
PNG for survival. "We come to give necessary contributions to the struggle of
West Papuan independence," Frans said.

The church leaders earlier called on the provincial and Jakarta authorities
to let the congress be held in order to give Papuans the chance to promote
democracy and human rights. (eba)

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

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Freeport funding studies of 5,000 Irian students
Date: 2/22/00 7:21:54 PM Central Standard Time
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Indonesian Observer
February 22, 2000
Freeport funding studies of 5,000 Irian students

JAKARTA (IO) =97 As the government prepares to evaluate PT Freeport
Indonesia=92s Contract of Work, the giant gold and copper mining
company has pointed out that 5,000 people of Irian Jaya/West Papua
are still on company scholarships, some at university level.

The scholarship program is part of the company=92s commitment to
developing local human resources. Students on the scholarships are
studying either in West Papua, Java or abroad.

Critics say Freeport employs too few Irianese. Freeport officials
agree, but say local education standards are often too low. Until a
few decades ago, most Irianese were still living in the stone age
and some still are. Hence the scholarship program.

Freeport contributes 1% of its gross revenues =97 that means about
US$16.5 million in 1999 =97 to a fund to help people from seven local
ethnic groups. Many Irianese say this is too little.

The mining company produces gold and copper concentrate. After
smelting, the refined metal is worth an estimated US$2 billion a
year. The 1999 revenues of the mine operator=92s parent, New
Orleans-based Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc, had been forecast
at US$1.6 billion.

Freeport started giving 1% of its profits to locals in 1996 after
widespread protests that the company was exploiting the land and
giving its traditional owners nothing in return except displacement,
misery and repression from the Indonesian military.

The 1% fund is administered by the Development Institution for the
Irian Jaya Community (LPMI).

LPMI head T.O. Potereyauw yesterday stressed the company is
committed to improving the education of locals, and it hopes that
some of them will go back to work at the mine.

In 1996 and 1997, the 1% of revenue =97 then amounting to about Rp41.1
billion (then worth US$17 million) each year =97 was handled by an
institution called the Timika Comprehensive Development Body (PWT).

Due to apparent mismanagement of the fund and the failure to provide
detailed reports on how the money was spent, then-Irian Jaya
governor Bass Suebu in 1998 dissolved the institution headed by H.
Makbon, and founded LPMI.

LPMI head Potereyauw is the regent of Mimika, the main area where
Freeport operates in West Papua.

Aside from the 1% of revenue, West Papua province also receives
annual royalties of between Rp300 billion (US$41 million) and Rp400
billion (US$55 million).

Mimika receives most of the royalties, getting Rp120 billion
(US$16.4 million) from last year=92s earnings.

Freeport is also allocating a fund of US$100 million that will be
used by the local government for rehabilitation projects on
exhausted mining sites.

Freeport=92s Grasberg open-cast mine, at an elevation of just over
4,000 metres above sea level, will be two kilometers across by the
end of its working life.

That will be around 2015, but there will still be lots more ore in
the area after that.


KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN]Golkar dissident threatens to form new party
Date: 2/22/00 7:21:44 PM Central Standard Time
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Indonesian Observer
February 22, 2000
Golkar dissident threatens to form new party

JAKARTA (IO) =97 A Golkar Party executive has threatened to form a new
party that would take away the former ruling group=92s support base
from the eastern regions of Irian Jaya, Maluku, Sulawesi and
Kalimantan (Iramasuka).

Marwah Daud Ibrahim, a leader of Golkar=92s Iramasuka faction,
yesterday said the eastern regions will abandon the party if its
executive board continues to ignore their aspirations.
Golkar Chairman Akbar Tandjung responded to the criticism by saying
said the faction is free to set up a new party, as Golkar has
already experienced similar defections since the fall of former
president Soeharto in May 1998.

Marwah said many eastern regions feel angered by the
=93discrimination=94 of Golkar=92s executive board.

=93We will review their deeds against us. If there aren=92t any changes
we will establish the Madani Party. It all depends on how they treat
us,=94 she said on the sidelines of a plenary meeting at House of
Representatives (DPR).

She said the new party won=92t be formed =93if they stop discriminating
us and we can sit down together and hold a dialog=94.

Marwah said the Iramasuka faction is annoyed that Golkar=92s executive
board failed to nominate former president B.J. Habibie in last
October=92s presidential election.

Habibie, who is from South Sulawesi, was strongly supported by many
Iramasuka members to stand for re-election. But ultimately there
were only two presidential candidates: Abdurrahman Wahid and
Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Marwah said many top officials in Golkar have been wrongly telling
Tandjung that the Iramasuka faction is opposed to him being party
chairman.

=93There are no such views as that. We just want them to stop looking
backward and to respect the diversity in the party,=94 she said.

Tandjung later said he will meet with Marwah to ask her to clarify
her statements. =93I shall check this directly with her. Is it really
true that she will set up a new party? This needs to be clarified
because I=92ve only heard rumors that tend to undermine Golkar Party,=94
he said.

He acknowledged the Iramasuka faction was upset by Golkar=92s decision
not to nominate Habibie for a second term as president. =93We shouldn=92
t hold onto such emotions because we are facing the next general
election in 2004. We need consolidation for that.=94


KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Jakarta's thugs in red berets finally brought to account
Date: 2/22/00 2:31:31 PM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
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submitted by anonymous

Jakarta's thugs in red berets finally brought to account

By LINDSAY MURDOCH, Herald Correspondent in Jakarta

They call them Black Operations - kidnapping, killing, torturing, raping,
burning and looting designed to intimidate opposition or set communities
against each other. Sometimes they wear black masks, other times they
pose
as local thugs. Often local military officers are not told of the arrival
in
their towns and villages of highly trained, brutal soldiers who launch
covert, state-sponsored terror campaigns.

"For decades they have been a law unto themselves," says Mr Robert Lowry,
an
Australian expert on Indonesia's armed forces. "They have become a force
within a force that make work for themselves to justify their own
existence."

But the new civilian government in Jakarta is preparing to effectively
dismantle Kopassus, the country's 6,000-strong elite red beret special
force
that human rights investigators say is behind a swathe of terrorist acts
across the archipelago over decades, including last year's violence in
East
Timor and atrocities in Aceh province.

The Defence Minister, Mr Juwono Sudarsono, told the Herald that he
intended
to cut back what he described as the "rag-tag" elite that Kopassus has
become to a force of between 700 and 1,000, similar to Australia's
anti-terrorist SAS group.

"My aim is to streamline the military, particularly the army and
particularly Kopassus," Mr Juwono said. "I am just beginning to rein in
the
military to do what it does best and that is soldiering."

The move to radically cut back Kopassus and make it accountable to the
new
military hierarchy dominated by non-army officers appointed by the
President, Mr Wahid, is certain to increase tensions between the army and
the country's first democratically elected government.

A two-week stand-off between Mr Wahid and the former armed forces chief,
General Wiranto, fuelled rumours of an army rebellion that subsided only
when the general - accused over the East Timor violence - reluctantly
agreed
to step down from Cabinet.

Throughout the 1990s, Kopassus - the army's first special forces, formed
in
1952 - was greatly expanded under the leadership of Lieutenant-General
Prabowo Subianto, the ambitious son-in-law of the then President
Soeharto.

"Kopassus was Prabowo's power base," said a retired army officer in
Jakarta,
who asked for anonymity. "He ruled it as his own fiefdom ... there were
no
checks, no balances. They were basically out of control."

General Prabowo tried to buy the unit Russian helicopters and insisted on
its commandos being the best at everything, including rushing to beat
Malaysian soldiers to climb Mt Everest.

But after Soeharto's downfall, General Prabowo admitted to a military
tribunal that he had presided over the kidnapping of nine political
activists.

He was drummed out of the military and forced into exile, one of the few
times a Kopassus man has been brought to account.

At the height of the East Timor violence last year, journalists saw
Kopassus
soldiers change into civilian clothes and join militias attacking
independence supporters.

Human rights investigators in the Territory have evidence that Kopassus
covertly directed much of the violence before the September arrival of
Interfet troops.

Australian soldiers with Interfet caught at least 10 Indonesians
operating
in militia units who carried Kopassus identity cards.

An independent commission investigating human rights abuses in Aceh over
a
decade concluded late last year that most of the troops responsible for
countless atrocities in the province were from Kopassus.

Kopassus forces have traditionally reported to the military's senior
commanders in Jakarta. Their primary role has been strategic intelligence
gathering and special covert operations at home and abroad.

One of most spectacular successes of Kopassus was the storming of a
hijacked
Indonesian aircraft in Bangkok in 1981. Only one hijacker survived.

In 1962 its forces infiltrated Irian Jaya in support of Indonesia's
liberation campaign.

When East Timor was invaded in 1975, Kopassus forces were among the first
to
land. For the next two decades they played a leading role in the
province,
hunting down the resistance leader Lobato in 1978 and in 1992 capturing
his
successor, Xanana Gusmao.

Over decades, Kopassus concentrated on eliminating rebel leaders and
their
support structures in Aceh, East Timor and Irian Jaya, now West Papua.

Some former Kopassus commanders have gone on to fill top positions in the
armed forces, including General Edi Sudrajat and General Feisal Tanjung.

In 1998 Australia abandoned major military exercises with Kopassus after
damaging publicity over its human rights record.


Indonesia's Parliament will summon General Wiranto to face questioning
over
East Timor, a senior politician, Mr Yasril Ananta Baharuddin, said
yesterday.


KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Sonny business as freeport feels the heat
Date: 2/22/00 2:13:56 PM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
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http://www.afr.com.au:80/content/000222/world/world2.html



Sonny business as Freeport feels the
heat

By Tim Dodd, Jakarta

Catapulted from his old job as a professor of business
ethics into the environment portfolio in President
Abdurrahman Wahid's reform Government, Mr Sonny
Keraf shows signs of taking his new job seriously.

In his four months as a minister his record makes it clear
that he is putting environmental protection above all
other
interests, including the Government's strong
pro-investment
stance.

Mr Keraf, a formerly low-profile member of Mrs
Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle, has no obvious business connections and appears
to owe his cabinet appointment to a need for religious and
ethnic balance - he is a Catholic from eastern Indonesia.

Mr Keraf's latest target is the giant Freeport copper and
gold mine in Irian Jaya, which after strong criticism of
its
environmental and community relations record, has been
labouring hard in recent years to demonstrate it is a good
corporate citizen.

Since a burst of bad publicity in 1997, when tribal
warfare
blocked access to the mine and the Indonesian army killed
locals while securing the area, Freeport has worked hard
to rebuild community ties and improve its environmental
conduct.

At the weekend Mr Keraf said Freeport's latest
environmental impact statement, commissioned from US
consulting firm Montgomery Watson, contained
irregularities that his office would investigate.

Montgomery Watson's report called Freeport's
environmental management system "exemplary and a
showcase for the mining industry".

But Mr Keraf zeroed in on the weakest point of the
company's environmental record - the tens of millions of
tonnes of tailings which Freeport pours into the wild
mountain rivers each year at its mine site, almost 4,500
metres high among the glaciers of Irian Jaya's highest
mountain range.

The tailings distribute themselves on the plain below near
Irian Jaya's south coast where, contained by high levies,
they are building up over a 230sqkm area. Other ways of
disposing of the tailings, such as piping them down the
mountain, would be prohibitively expensive for Freeport.

Freeport is setting aside 1 per cent of its revenue and,
when it closes in 40 years' time, it estimates it will
have a
fund worth $158 million to rehabilitate areas damaged by
the mine.

Mr Keraf said the answers he had received to queries
about the environmental impact statement were not
adequate. "Freeport needs to explain many things, such as
its environmental working plans and the dumping of
tailings
from the mine," he said.

Freeport is not the first project Mr Keraf has targeted.
Last month he opposed the reopening of the Indorayon
pulp and rayon mill on North Sumatra's Lake Toba, an
immense area of fresh water which locals allege was
being polluted by the plant, and earned a rebuke from
Investment Minister Mr Laksamana Sukardi.

Freeport's vice-president for corporate communications,
Mrs Yuli Ismartono, said yesterday that the company
welcomed further examination.





KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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

Subj: SBS dateline
Date: 2/22/00 1:40:11 AM Central Standard Time
From: iris@matra.com.au (Anne Noonan)
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

For Aussie viewers.

SBS Dateline, Wednesday 23 Feb. 8.30 PM
In a segment of the show, Matthew Carney reports on the growing
independence movement in West Papua. researched by Mark worth

-----------------------------------------------
Australia West Papua Association, Sydney
PO BOX 65
Millers Point, NSW
Australia 2000
Tel/fax 61 2 99601698
iris@matra.com.au
------------------------------------------------

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

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] RI to evaluate Freeport CoW
Date: 2/21/00 3:47:28 PM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
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Indonesian Observer, Feb 21 00


RI to evaluate Freeport CoW

JAKARTA (IO) =97 Two ministers have stressed the
government=92s commitment to evaluate PT Freeport Indonesia=92s Contract of
Work (CoW) amid growing
pressures from environmental circles.=20

"We are continuing preparations for the formation of an
integrated team which is to conduct the evaluation," Mines and Energy
Minister Bambang S
Yudhoyono said in Semarang over the weekend.

The evaluation team consists of representatives of
several government ministries =97 the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Stat=
e
Ministry for the Environment
and the Finance Ministry =96 and the local administratio=
n
in Irian Jaya/Papua, where the giant joint-venture has mined gold for=
decades.

The team aims, among other things, to study whether
Freeport has fulfilled its obligation to conserve the environment, as well
as invested and carried out
community development, he added.

"If there is anything to be improved, we can discuss it
honestly, transparently and objectively. Please, improve the environment
and attend to community
development.=20

"By doing so, we will know in a transparent manner what
PT Freeport Indonesia has done, and we must make it known to the general
public," he said as
reported by Antara.

Pocketing its first lucrative CoWs during the early
years of ex-president Soeharto=92s 32-year in power, the giant subsidiary of
US Freeport McMoran extended
its contract in the last years of the Soeharto regime.

The company was accused of bribery in the process
leading to the contract extension.=20

Nowadays, the company has been under the spotlight due
to allegations of environmental destruction.=20

In a related development, Environment Minister Sony
Keraf said in Makassar on Saturday his office would re-audit PT Freeport=92s
environmental audit.

"We will verify the result of the environmental impact
analysis on Freeport," Keraf said.

He told reporters that complaints by communities living
in the area surroundings the gold mine had led to the cause of the re-audit.

"The audit report still needs clarification. Freeport
needs to explain many things, such as its environmental working plans and
the dumping of tailings from the
mine," he added.

Analysts have warned that such an evaluation should be
carried out mindful of foreign investment contracts.

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Let the Irianese choose how to live
Date: 2/21/00 3:38:57 PM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
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Jakarta Post, Letters and Opinions, Feb 21, 2000

Let the Irianese choose how to live

I would like to comment on the article about Irianese life
expectancy (The Jakarta Post, Feb. 16, 2000), reflecting my
own experiences while traveling in Irian Jaya.

A life expectancy of 40 years is quite normal under the
circumstances in which remote tribes live, and is
comparable to other indigenous groups elsewhere on the
planet. In Irian Jaya, these circumstances differ quite a lot
between different areas. The peoples of the highlands are
less prone to catch deadly diseases and many of my Dani
friends are 60 years and older -- and that does not seem to
be an exceptionally old age for them.

The lowland tribes do live in a harsher environment and
many children die of malaria, dysentery and other diseases.
But their reproductive rate is much higher than the
highland tribes. These people are usually not malnourished
at all and their subsistence economy works very well for
their communities. But when we look at the main towns,
resettlement areas and port towns, we see a different
picture (and the photo depicted in the article is no question
from such an area). Indigenous tribes taken from their
original homeland cannot feed themselves adequately,
often because of a lack of funds, inappropriate housing
and the contracting of conditions like HIV from migrants.

Also, I wonder how the government comes up with the
figures mentioned in the text, when there are large areas of
Irian Jaya which no government official has set foot in, let
alone counted heads.

And why is Irian Jaya a cash-strapped province when it is
so rich in resources? Maybe the government should
reconsider how it spends money and start to clean up the
coastal towns with the migrants, rather than in the
hinterland, which has already been disturbed too much by
interference from the outside. Let the people live the life
they have chosen for them to be the best.

CLAUDIA LANG

Jakarta

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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

Subj: Govt Finds 'Irregularities' in Freeport's Environmental ImpactAnalysis
Date: 2/21/00 5:23:38 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Jakarta Post
February 21, 2000

Amdal on Freeport examined

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): State Minister of Environment Sonny Keraf said
his office would audit, and perhaps redo, the environmental impact analysis
(Amdal) of copper and gold mining company PT Freeport Indonesia as the
analysis report contained several irregularities.

"Based on queries by an auditing team of the Environmental Impact Management
Agency (Bapedal) from the ministry's office, we found several irregularities
in their environmental impact analysis," Sonny told journalists here on
Saturday.

"Thus there needs to be further examination of this matter," he said.

The minister said verbal and written answers given by the company's
management had proven insufficient to explain the irregularities.

The minister did not elaborate on the alleged irregularities in the report
but remarked that they included inconsistencies in reports on the company's
environmental management and environmental work plan.

He further remarked that there was a lack of a sufficient tailing disposal
system.

"It is these things which must be clarified. That's why we judge it necessary
to repeat an environmental audit," Sonny said.

Environmental groups have long blasted the alleged environmental degradation
caused by the company's operations in Irian Jaya.

Questions have also openly been raised about the validity of the
environmental audit results of American auditor Montgomery Watson, which
lauded Freeport's environmental protection as exemplary.

Two commissions at the House of Representatives earlier this month also
recommended a review of the contract of work held by PT Freeport.

Commission I for foreign and political affairs and Commission II for home and
legal affairs argued that the government received too small a share of the
revenue from the company's operation and that the deal violated investment
regulations and the 1945 Constitution.

After visiting Freeport's operations in Grasberg, Irian Jaya, several
legislators also alleged that the company had contributed to socioeconomic
injustice, rampant human rights abuse and political tension despite claims by
the company that it had allocated 1 percent of its profit to fund development
programs in the surrounding community.

PT Freeport Indonesia is 81.28 percent owned by U.S. mining company Freeport
McMoRan Copper & Gold with the Indonesia government and PT Indocopper
Investama Corporation each holding 9.36 percent in the company.

Indocopper is 50.48 percent owned by Nusamba Mineral Industries, which is
linked to former president Soeharto. Freeport McMoran holds a 49 percent
stake in Indocopper and the investing public holds 0.52 percent.

Sonny said the number of complaints from the public on the impact of
Freeport's operations had prompt the audit review, and that a preliminary
review had already indicated that many issues need to be clarified.

Sonny further remarked that environmental considerations in the future should
be a primary condition when issuing licenses for companies to operate.

"We can say that development will proceed at about 6 percent, but if that
achievement is calculated with the damage we encounter from environmental
degradation then that number would definitely drop," he said.

"Maybe to about 3 percent."

"That's why I always say that there's no use borrowing money from abroad to
help us develop, if the results we eventually achieve will only be used to
remedy the environmental damage we reap,"

Subj: Govt Finds 'Irregularities' in Freeport's Environmental ImpactAnalysis
Date: 2/21/00 5:23:38 AM Central Standard Time
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
To: indonesia-act@igc.apc.org

Received from Joyo Indonesian News

Jakarta Post
February 21, 2000

Amdal on Freeport examined

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): State Minister of Environment Sonny Keraf said
his office would audit, and perhaps redo, the environmental impact analysis
(Amdal) of copper and gold mining company PT Freeport Indonesia as the
analysis report contained several irregularities.

"Based on queries by an auditing team of the Environmental Impact Management
Agency (Bapedal) from the ministry's office, we found several irregularities
in their environmental impact analysis," Sonny told journalists here on
Saturday.

"Thus there needs to be further examination of this matter," he said.

The minister said verbal and written answers given by the company's
management had proven insufficient to explain the irregularities.

The minister did not elaborate on the alleged irregularities in the report
but remarked that they included inconsistencies in reports on the company's
environmental management and environmental work plan.

He further remarked that there was a lack of a sufficient tailing disposal
system.

"It is these things which must be clarified. That's why we judge it necessary
to repeat an environmental audit," Sonny said.

Environmental groups have long blasted the alleged environmental degradation
caused by the company's operations in Irian Jaya.

Questions have also openly been raised about the validity of the
environmental audit results of American auditor Montgomery Watson, which
lauded Freeport's environmental protection as exemplary.

Two commissions at the House of Representatives earlier this month also
recommended a review of the contract of work held by PT Freeport.

Commission I for foreign and political affairs and Commission II for home and
legal affairs argued that the government received too small a share of the
revenue from the company's operation and that the deal violated investment
regulations and the 1945 Constitution.

After visiting Freeport's operations in Grasberg, Irian Jaya, several
legislators also alleged that the company had contributed to socioeconomic
injustice, rampant human rights abuse and political tension despite claims by
the company that it had allocated 1 percent of its profit to fund development
programs in the surrounding community.

PT Freeport Indonesia is 81.28 percent owned by U.S. mining company Freeport
McMoRan Copper & Gold with the Indonesia government and PT Indocopper
Investama Corporation each holding 9.36 percent in the company.

Indocopper is 50.48 percent owned by Nusamba Mineral Industries, which is
linked to former president Soeharto. Freeport McMoran holds a 49 percent
stake in Indocopper and the investing public holds 0.52 percent.

Sonny said the number of complaints from the public on the impact of
Freeport's operations had prompt the audit review, and that a preliminary
review had already indicated that many issues need to be clarified.

Sonny further remarked that environmental considerations in the future should
be a primary condition when issuing licenses for companies to operate.

"We can say that development will proceed at about 6 percent, but if that
achievement is calculated with the damage we encounter from environmental
degradation then that number would definitely drop," he said.

"Maybe to about 3 percent."

"That's why I always say that there's no use borrowing money from abroad to
help us develop, if the results we eventually achieve will only be used to
remedy the environmental damage we reap," he remarked.(27)



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

he remarked.(27)



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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] To anyone on the Cartenz expedition
Date: 2/20/00 8:18:22 AM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
Sender: owner-kabar-irian@irja.org
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For KI help or information see the end of this message


Dear friends,

If one of you has the opportunity to contact anyone from the expedition
currently on its way to climb Mount Cartenz in West Irian/New Guinea, would
you please relay my suggestion that they note names of local geographical
features (toponyms), particularly of mountains and rivers, in languages of
the indigenous population.

The map of the area abounds in geographical names that were given by
outsiders speaking European languages, Indonesian Malay or languages of
West Indonesia. It would be good to gain knowledge of the local traditional
names, before these are lost, displaced by names given by the outsiders.

Thank you, and regards,

Waruno Mahdi
Email: mahdi@FHI-Berlin.MPG.DE


=================================================================== KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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hold to or support the opinions and views expressed in these postings. They
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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Amdal on Freeport
Date: 2/20/00 4:21:00 PM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org
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The jakarta Post
English Ed.
Feb 21, Monday 2000
National News

Amdal on Freeport examined

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): State Minister of
Environment Sonny Keraf said his office would audit, and
perhaps redo, the environmental impact analysis (Amdal)
of copper and gold mining company PT Freeport Indonesia
as the analysis report contained several irregularities.

"Based on queries by an auditing team of the
Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedal) from
the ministry's office, we found several irregularities in
their
environmental impact analysis," Sonny told journalists
here on Saturday.

"Thus there needs to be further examination of this
matter,"
he said.

The minister said verbal and written answers given by the
company's management had proven insufficient to explain
the irregularities.

The minister did not elaborate on the alleged
irregularities
in the report but remarked that they included
inconsistencies in reports on the company's environmental
management and environmental work plan.

He further remarked that there was a lack of a sufficient
tailing disposal system.

"It is these things which must be clarified. That's why
we
judge it necessary to repeat an environmental audit,"
Sonny said.

Environmental groups have long blasted the alleged
environmental degradation caused by the company's
operations in Irian Jaya.

Questions have also openly been raised about the validity
of the environmental audit results of American auditor
Montgomery Watson, which lauded Freeport's
environmental protection as exemplary.

Two commissions at the House of Representatives earlier
this month also recommended a review of the contract of
work held by PT Freeport.

Commission I for foreign and political affairs and
Commission II for home and legal affairs argued that the
government received too small a share of the revenue from
the company's operation and that the deal violated
investment regulations and the 1945 Constitution.

After visiting Freeport's operations in Grasberg, Irian
Jaya,
several legislators also alleged that the company had
contributed to socioeconomic injustice, rampant human
rights abuse and political tension despite claims by the
company that it had allocated 1 percent of its profit to
fund
development programs in the surrounding community.

PT Freeport Indonesia is 81.28 percent owned by U.S.
mining company Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold with
the Indonesia government and PT Indocopper Investama
Corporation each holding 9.36 percent in the company.

Indocopper is 50.48 percent owned by Nusamba Mineral
Industries, which is linked to former president Soeharto.
Freeport McMoran holds a 49 percent stake in Indocopper
and the investing public holds 0.52 percent.

Sonny said the number of complaints from the public on
the impact of Freeport's operations had prompt the audit
review, and that a preliminary review had already
indicated
that many issues need to be clarified.

Sonny further remarked that environmental considerations
in the future should be a primary condition when issuing
licenses for companies to operate.

"We can say that development will proceed at about 6
percent, but if that achievement is calculated with the
damage we encounter from environmental degradation then
that number would definitely drop," he said.

"Maybe to about 3 percent."

"That's why I always say that there's no use borrowing
money from abroad to help us develop, if the results we
eventually achieve will only be used to remedy the
environmental damage we reap," he remarked.(27)


KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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================================================================ Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Amdal on Freeport
Date: 2/20/00 4:21:00 PM Central Standard Time
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The jakarta Post
English Ed.
Feb 21, Monday 2000
National News

Amdal on Freeport examined

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): State Minister of
Environment Sonny Keraf said his office would audit, and
perhaps redo, the environmental impact analysis (Amdal)
of copper and gold mining company PT Freeport Indonesia
as the analysis report contained several irregularities.

"Based on queries by an auditing team of the
Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedal) from
the ministry's office, we found several irregularities in
their
environmental impact analysis," Sonny told journalists
here on Saturday.

"Thus there needs to be further examination of this
matter,"
he said.

The minister said verbal and written answers given by the
company's management had proven insufficient to explain
the irregularities.

The minister did not elaborate on the alleged
irregularities
in the report but remarked that they included
inconsistencies in reports on the company's environmental
management and environmental work plan.

He further remarked that there was a lack of a sufficient
tailing disposal system.

"It is these things which must be clarified. That's why
we
judge it necessary to repeat an environmental audit,"
Sonny said.

Environmental groups have long blasted the alleged
environmental degradation caused by the company's
operations in Irian Jaya.

Questions have also openly been raised about the validity
of the environmental audit results of American auditor
Montgomery Watson, which lauded Freeport's
environmental protection as exemplary.

Two commissions at the House of Representatives earlier
this month also recommended a review of the contract of
work held by PT Freeport.

Commission I for foreign and political affairs and
Commission II for home and legal affairs argued that the
government received too small a share of the revenue from
the company's operation and that the deal violated
investment regulations and the 1945 Constitution.

After visiting Freeport's operations in Grasberg, Irian
Jaya,
several legislators also alleged that the company had
contributed to socioeconomic injustice, rampant human
rights abuse and political tension despite claims by the
company that it had allocated 1 percent of its profit to
fund
development programs in the surrounding community.

PT Freeport Indonesia is 81.28 percent owned by U.S.
mining company Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold with
the Indonesia government and PT Indocopper Investama
Corporation each holding 9.36 percent in the company.

Indocopper is 50.48 percent owned by Nusamba Mineral
Industries, which is linked to former president Soeharto.
Freeport McMoran holds a 49 percent stake in Indocopper
and the investing public holds 0.52 percent.

Sonny said the number of complaints from the public on
the impact of Freeport's operations had prompt the audit
review, and that a preliminary review had already
indicated
that many issues need to be clarified.

Sonny further remarked that environmental considerations
in the future should be a primary condition when issuing
licenses for companies to operate.

"We can say that development will proceed at about 6
percent, but if that achievement is calculated with the
damage we encounter from environmental degradation then
that number would definitely drop," he said.

"Maybe to about 3 percent."

"That's why I always say that there's no use borrowing
money from abroad to help us develop, if the results we
eventually achieve will only be used to remedy the
environmental damage we reap," he remarked.(27)


KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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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] Amdal on Freeport

3 Date: 2/20/00 4:21:00 PM Central Standard Time
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The jakarta Post
English Ed.
Feb 21, Monday 2000
National News

Amdal on Freeport examined

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): State Minister of
Environment Sonny Keraf said his office would audit, and
perhaps redo, the environmental impact analysis (Amdal)
of copper and gold mining company PT Freeport Indonesia
as the analysis report contained several irregularities.

"Based on queries by an auditing team of the
Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedal) from
the ministry's office, we found several irregularities in
their
environmental impact analysis," Sonny told journalists
here on Saturday.

"Thus there needs to be further examination of this
matter,"
he said.

The minister said verbal and written answers given by the
company's management had proven insufficient to explain
the irregularities.

The minister did not elaborate on the alleged
irregularities
in the report but remarked that they included
inconsistencies in reports on the company's environmental
management and environmental work plan.

He further remarked that there was a lack of a sufficient
tailing disposal system.

"It is these things which must be clarified. That's why
we
judge it necessary to repeat an environmental audit,"
Sonny said.

Environmental groups have long blasted the alleged
environmental degradation caused by the company's
operations in Irian Jaya.

Questions have also openly been raised about the validity
of the environmental audit results of American auditor
Montgomery Watson, which lauded Freeport's
environmental protection as exemplary.

Two commissions at the House of Representatives earlier
this month also recommended a review of the contract of
work held by PT Freeport.

Commission I for foreign and political affairs and
Commission II for home and legal affairs argued that the
government received too small a share of the revenue from
the company's operation and that the deal violated
investment regulations and the 1945 Constitution.

After visiting Freeport's operations in Grasberg, Irian
Jaya,
several legislators also alleged that the company had
contributed to socioeconomic injustice, rampant human
rights abuse and political tension despite claims by the
company that it had allocated 1 percent of its profit to
fund
development programs in the surrounding community.

PT Freeport Indonesia is 81.28 percent owned by U.S.
mining company Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold with
the Indonesia government and PT Indocopper Investama
Corporation each holding 9.36 percent in the company.

Indocopper is 50.48 percent owned by Nusamba Mineral
Industries, which is linked to former president Soeharto.
Freeport McMoran holds a 49 percent stake in Indocopper
and the investing public holds 0.52 percent.

Sonny said the number of complaints from the public on
the impact of Freeport's operations had prompt the audit
review, and that a preliminary review had already
indicated
that many issues need to be clarified.

Sonny further remarked that environmental considerations
in the future should be a primary condition when issuing
licenses for companies to operate.

"We can say that development will proceed at about 6
percent, but if that achievement is calculated with the
damage we encounter from environmental degradation then
that number would definitely drop," he said.

"Maybe to about 3 percent."

"That's why I always say that there's no use borrowing
money from abroad to help us develop, if the results we
eventually achieve will only be used to remedy the
environmental damage we reap," he remarked.(27)


KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] America supports Indonesia territorial integrity - What
Date: 2/17/00 2:04:33 PM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org

about IRJA?
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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Freeport statement on Antara article
Date: 2/25/00 9:56:23 AM Central Standard Time
From: admin@irja.org (Admin)
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from: bruce_marsh@fmi.com

Dear Editor:

I am responding to the Antara article which you posted on your web site on
February 25th and would appreciate it if you could help us get factual
reporting on our environmental impacts and programs out to the public.

1. As predicted by the Regional AMDAL completed under the guidance of
BAPEDAL, tailings deposition is currently impacting 13,300 hectares and NOT
133,000 hectares as reported by Antara. By the end of the mine life we will
have impacted about 23,000 hectares.

2. As long as the mine operates, the tailings will continue to deposit in
the Ajkwa Deposition Area and it is very difficult to increase reclamtion
activities more than the current rate.

3. Our reclamation produces fantastic results and has demonstrated clearly
that a wide variety of native and agriculture tees and crops can grow in
these projects and the area will be sustainable for the long-term (not just
short term reclamation as reported).

4. The Montgomery Watson Environmental Audit did not say the ground water in
Tembagapura has been impacted. There is no data that would suggest this
could have happened.

5. Alan Krause did not say that the "ground water being used by residents of
Mimika district could have been contaminated with water from the lake."
Again there is no data that would suggest this could have happened.

We are one of the biggest mines in the world and like all mining we have
significant impacts. Our impacts are managed and monitoried and most are
reversible thanks to reclamation creating productive lands at the end of the
mine life.

It is unfortunate that Antara and then other newspapers in Jakarta ran this
story without checking the facts. We would appreciate it if reporters could
check with us before publishing their stories.

We welcome the planned investigation by the integrated team of the
Government of Indonesia so we can bring some understanding to these
important issues.

Thank you.
Bruce Marsh
VP Environmental Affairs
PT Freeport Indonesia
62-21-259-1817




KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] 133,000 Hectares In Freeport Mines Seriously Damaged
Date: 2/24/00 8:15:40 PM Central Standard Time
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National News
133,000 Hectares In Freeport Mines Seriously Damaged
- Bapedal
Thursday, February 24, 2000/2:10:16 PM
Jayapura, Irian Jaya, Feb 24 (ANTARA)

Some 133,000 hectares of land in PT Freeport
Indonesia’s mining
concession in Irian Jaya have been seriously damaged,
the
Environmental Impact Supervisory Board (Bapedal) has
said.

"Of the figure, only 124 hectares have been reclaimed
by the
company," head of Bapedal’s local office, M Ali
Kastella, said here
Thursday.

Kastella was explaining the results of Bapedal’s
recent inspection
in Freeport’s Tembagapura, Grasberg and Earsberg
mines.

He noted that the reclaimed area has been planted
only with
short-lived trees and plants, like banana trees,
pineapple and
vegetables, which will not give the locals long-term
benefits.

He said it would take Freeport a long time to reclaim
the area.

"The company is too slow in taking measures that
would prevent
damage. It has only reclaimed 124 hectares while the
damaged area is
too vast," he added.

On the audit conducted by an auditing firm from
Montgomery, Alabama,
US, Kastella said it was rejected because it has
failed to reveal
the extent of damage done to Irian Jaya’s ecosystem
and Freeport’s
efforts to handle this.

He said that in its audit, the American company asked
Freeport to
check the ground water in Tembagapura, the center of
the company’s
operations, as it could have been polluted when
Freeport dried the
Wanagon Lake.

Head of the that audit, Alan Klause, said last
Tuesday that the
ground water being used by residents of Mimika
district could have
been contaminated with water from the lake.

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] West Papuas 1969 referendum re-visited
Date: 2/24/00 8:15:29 PM Central Standard Time
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Tapol, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
Bulletin Online 156 - Jan/Feb 2000
West Papua’s 1969 ‘referendum’ re-visited

In August 1969, the Indonesian authorities conducted
an ‘Act of Free
Choice’ in West Papua as required by an agreement
with the Dutch
government concluded under UN auspices in 1962. There
was nothing
‘free’ about the Act which involved 1,025 hand-picked
‘tribal chiefs
’ who decided at gunpoint that their country should
remain part of
Indonesia. Recently de-classified information shows
that the West
connived in the betrayal. The Dutch government has
now acknowledged
that the 1969 Act should be re-examined.

‘I cannot imagine the US, Japanese, Dutch or
Australian Governments
putting at risk their economic and political
relations with
Indonesia on a matter of principle involving a
relatively small
number of very primitive people.’ -British diplomat,
1968

The Dutch government’s decision to review the 1969
Act announced on
11 December 1999, represents a break- through. Until
now, all
western governments have completely ignored the
issue. The Dutch
decision came in response to pressure from the Dutch
Parliament.
Member of parliament Van Middelkoep of the
Gereformeerd Politiek
Verbond succeeded in persuading Foreign Minister Van
Aarsten that a
review was called for and the minister suggested that
it might be
undertaken by the Dutch Institute for War
Documentation, NIOD, which
investigated the slaughter of Muslims in Srebrenice,
Bosnia. Van
Middelkoep said: ‘Finally we can look the Papuans
straight in the
eyes.’

The matter had been raised at a seminar in Amsterdam
held to mark
the thirtieth anniversary on 19 November 1999 of the
UN General
Assembly’s decision to ‘take note of’ a report on the
Act, thereby
endorsing the results of the Act and removing the
question of West
Papua from the UN’s agenda.

The task of examining recently de-classified UN
documents in the
period up to the conduct of the Act is being carried
out by John
Saltford, a PhD student at Hull Univesity, UK. He
gave a lecture at
the seminar on West Papua in the Netherlands on 20
November 1999.
The following draws largely on information that he
has brought to
light.

The Act of ‘Free’ Choice took place seven years after
Indonesia had
taken control of the territory under the terms of the
New York
Agreement between the Netherlands and Indonesia,
brokered by a US
diplomat acting for the UN. A year before the Act was
due to take
place, the UN set up a team led by Bolivian diplomat
Fernando Ortiz
Sanz to ‘assist, advise and participate’ in the Act.
In the event,
the UN team’s role was nothing more than peripheral.

The three Indonesians who were in control of events
in West Papua
(then known as West Irian) were Brigadier- General
Sarwo Edhie, of
the special forces then known as RPKAD, who was the
military
commander of the territory, Major-General Ali
Murtopo, Suharto’s top
intelligence officer who was put in charge of
organising the Act of
‘Free’ Choice, and Sudjarwo, a senior official from
the Indonesian
foreign ministry whose task was to liaise with the
UN.

Many observers knew at the time that a free vote in
West Papua would
have come down in favour of separation from Indonesia
but Indonesia
was determined to prevent this and the western
powers, by then
enjoying expanding economic ties with Indonesia’s
military dictator,
General Suharto, were not minded to stand in their
way.

One British diplomat commented in April 1968:

The strength of the Indonesian position lies in the
fact
that....they must know that, even if there are
protests about the
way they go through the motions of consultation, no
other power is
likely to conceive it as being in their interests to
intervene.
There will be protests from the Papuan exiles in
Holland, Japan and
at the United Nations. I understand that the exiles
may find some
support in the Australian press. But I cannot imagine
the US,
Japanese, Dutch or Australian Governments putting at
risk their
economic and political relations with Indonesia on a
matter of
principle involving a relatively small number of very
primitive
people.

Three months later, these sentiments were echoed in a
British
Foreign Office communication:

The plain fact is that there is no other solution
than for Indonesia
to keep West Irian; no one is thinking in different
terms; and no
responsible Government is likely to complain so long
as the
decencies are carried out.

In May 1968, the British High Commissioner in
Canberra reported that
from Australia’s point of view, ‘the more quietly the
act of
self-determination passes off next year, the better’.
[These
comments were echoed seven years later in mid 1975,
when British, US
and Australian diplomats in Jakarta were making
recommendations to
their governments in secret cables about how their
countries should
respond to Indonesia’s impending invasion of East
Timor.]

UN envoy collaborates in the betrayal

Ortiz Sanz made two short visits to West Papua in
1968 and sent some
grossly inaccurate reports to the UN secretariat in
New York which
was headed at the time by Secretary-General U Thant,
about
conditions in the territory which bore no relation to
the well
documented unpopularity and brutality of the
Indonesian military
rule. De-classified documents show that the
Indonesians were keen to
keep his visits to West Papua as brief as possible.
Indonesian
officials complained in December 1968 that his visit
had caused a
‘certain excitement’ among the Papuans which was
obstructing the
smooth running of the territory and it would be
better if he spent
more time in Jakarta where accommodation would be
much more
luxurious.

There was some sparring between Ortiz Sanz and
Indonesian officials
about whether the principle of ‘one person, one vote’
as required by
‘international practice’ under the 1962 New York
Agreement would be
applied. This was anathema to the Indonesians who
said they would
conduct the Act in accordance with the ‘Indonesian
practice’ of
musyawarah or reaching consensus . Eight Indonesian-
appointed
regional councils of tribal leaders would take part
in the Act.

In an attempt to preserve a modicum of democratic
practice, the UN
envoy proposed a mixed system, which would involve
direct voting in
some urban areas, but this too was rejected out of
hand by the
Indonesians.

After his second visit to West Papua in December
1968, Ortiz Sanz
indicated in a report to UN headquarters in New York
that he was
aware of anti-Indonesian feelings in the territory
but had found it
difficult to make free contact with local people
because his team
had been followed everywhere by Indonesian officials.
Yet his report
shows that he had nothing but contempt for the local
people:

Of course, when the moment arrives, it would be very
difficult
indeed to assess the real importance of such anti-
Indonesian
sentiment since, as you are very well aware, only a
very
insignificant percentage of the population is capable
of or has
interest in engaging in any political actions or even
thoughts....The tour has confirmed my initial
impressions....that
the implementation of the provisions of the New York
Agreement
relating to self-determination ‘in accordance with
international
practice’ is, indeed impossible.

This report elicited a reply from Rolz-Bennett, the
UN deputy
secretary general, echoing Ortiz Sanz’ racist
sentiments. He wrote
that ‘the lack of development of the population stood
out all too
clearly’.

‘Elections’

As the Act drew near, UN officials were getting
apprehensive,
fearing that the blatant rigging of the Act could
make it difficult
to get the final results of the Act through the UN
General Assembly
without widespread opposition. They urged the
Indonesians to stage
elections for some of the councils and, to their
surprise, the
Indonesians agreed.

The nature of these ‘elections’ was revealed by an
Australian
journalist, Hugh Lunn, who was filing stories for the
Sydney Morning
Herald. In August 1999, Lunn was interviewed in a
documentary shown
on Australian television which included footage of
Lunn attending
one of these ‘elections’. Some Indonesians wearing
dark glasses, who
were obviously military intelligence officers, were
shown going into
the midst of a sullen and silent crowd of Papuans and
bringing out
six men they themselves had selected to ‘represent’
the community.
While this was going on, Lunn reports, the crowd
suddenly began
cheering as three of their fellow-countrymen at the
back of the
crowd unfurled banners calling for genuine elections;
they were
immediately arrested and taken away. When Lunn
appealed to Ortiz
Sanz who was also present, to intervene, he refused,
saying that he
was simply there to observe.

The British government was well aware of what was
going on. A
Foreign Office briefing sent to the UK mission in New
York on 10
September 1969 said:

The Indonesians took great care to ensure, in all
ways open to them,
that the chosen representatives would vote in favour
of West Irian
remaining in Indonesia.

Getting the Act through the UNGA

One of the recurring themes in the de-classified UN
documents is the
machinations of UN officials to ensure that when the
final result of
the Act was presented to the General Assembly for
approval, it would
go through with as little fuss as possible. The
documents show that
Indonesia’s senior civilian official in West Papua,
Sudjarwo was
worried about the Dutch government’s response
regarding the way the
Act had been conducted. Ortiz Sanz, in a grave breach
of his neutral
role as UN envoy charged to ensure the fair conduct
of the Act, told
his superiors in New York:

I advised him privately though emphatically that his
Government
should try to obtain assurances that the Netherlands’
Government
would not cast any doubt on, or challenge, the Act of
Free Choice.
This would prevent a heated debate in the General
Assembly.

Another document reveals that Secretary-General U
Thant was himself
not averse to advising the Indonesians on how to
expedite an easy
ride at the General Assembly. He wrote to Sudjarwo as
follows:

The Indonesian Government would have to consult very
diligently with
the Members of the General Assembly for the purpose
of preventing
the submission of a draft resolution touching on the
substance of
the West Irian matter.

A briefing from the British Foreign Office, sent on
10 September
1969 to the British mission at the UN in New York
said:

The delegation should ...avoid taking part in any
debate on the
item. ...We expect the Secretary-General’s report to
put the best
face on the completion of the Act, and to avoid
criticism of the Act

A slight hitch in the proceedings

In the event, when the Indonesians had got the
‘unanimous’ result
they wanted and Ortiz Sanz presented his report to
the General
Assembly in November 1969 along with reports from the
Secretary-General and the Indonesian government,
several African
countries condemned the exercise for being
undemocratic and called
for a proper act of self-determination to be held in
1975. They
tabled an amendment to the resolution before the
General Assembly to
this effect. The resolution was defeated by 60 votes
to fifteen,
with 39 abstentions.

With little further discussion, the General Assembly
then decided by
84 votes to none, with thirty abstentions simply ‘to
take note’ of
the Secretary-General’s report that the people of
West Papua had
opted unanimously to remain with Indonesia.

That low key formulation was the farthest the General
Assembly would
go in revealing its discomfort with what had happened
in West Papua
under the eye of a UN observer team. This led to West
Papua’s
removal from the UN agenda and its delivery, lock,
stock and barrel
to the mercy of the Indonesian military regime.

All these exposures provide us with ample material to
call upon
governments around the world to examine their own
behaviour and that
of the UN in that agency’s grave betrayal of the
people of West
Papua.

--------------------------------------------------------
------------
------------
All the relevant UN documents of 1969 on West Papua
have been
compiled together by PAVO, the Papuan Peoples Centre
for Study and
Information.
Contact PAVO, P.O.Box 801, 3500 AV Utrecht, the
Netherlands, email:
pavo@wxs.nl

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Military planning major reshuffle, says Suaidi
Date: 2/24/00 8:15:25 PM Central Standard Time
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The Jakarta Post.com
National News
February 25, 2000
Military planning major reshuffle, says Suaidi

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Military (TNI) is set to
announce
another round of reshuffling that involves 44
officers, including
some top brass, pending approval from the Army chief
of staff, TNI
Chief of General Affairs Lt. Gen. Suaidi Marasabessy
said on
Thursday.

Suaidi said after presenting awards to the state
telecommunications
company PT Telkom at TNI Headquarters in Cilangkap,
East Jakarta,
that "there is a sort of tug of war going on in the
Army over who
gets what".

He said it was certain that the Central Java, Maluku
and Irian Jaya
Military commanders would be replaced, while the Army
Strategic
Reserve Command (Kostrad) would have a new chief of
staff.

TNI will also name a new assistant to the TNI chief
of territorial
affairs and a deputy to the Air Force chief of staff.

"It has nothing to do with something political as a
tour of duty is
routine and the TNI Headquarters have prepared all
the necessary
administrative requirements.

"Just wait, we will announce them," he said.

Sources close to TNI said the reshuffle would also
affect Kostrad
chief Lt. Gen. Djadja Suparman, the Army Special
Force (Kopassus)
commander Maj. Gen. Sjahrir M.S. and Suaidi.

Suaidi refused to comment on the report, but said he
was prepared
for new duty. "It wouldn't be a surprise if it is so.
I am ready for
any position entrusted to me."

The source said he has been appointed as an
ambassador.

Suaidi dismissed speculation that internal and
external pressures
linked to the current political development were
behind the planned
reshuffle, saying that the TNI commander received
full support from
all elements in the military and the civilian
government.

Consulting the President, in his capacity as the
supreme military
commander, remains imperative in a reshuffle that
involves the
second and top echelons in TNI, Suaidi said.

Analysts have speculated that President Abdurrahman
Wahid is
cleaning up a certain faction within the military
which is close to
the previous regime by appointing new faces for
strategic posts
formerly held by Army members.

Widodo A.S., a navy admiral, was named TNI chief, Air
Vice Marshall
Ian Perdanakusumah as head of TNI Intelligence Agency
(Bais) and Air
Rear Marshall Graito Usodo as TNI spokesman. (emf)

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] European Community Supports Recovery Development
Date: 2/24/00 8:15:30 PM Central Standard Time
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National News
European Community Supports Recovery Development In
Aceh, Maluku
Thursday, February 24, 2000/1:30:17 PM
Brussels, Feb 24 (ANTARA)

The European Community (EU) comprising 15 countries,
has pledged a
full support to the complete settlement of the people
conflicts and
the recovery development in Indonesia’s restive
provinces of Aceh,
Maluku and Irian Jaya, where the form of support will
be discussed
by the International Dialogue Foundation (IDF), a
diplomat said.

"IDF has expressed its readiness to give full support
to conduct a
conference relating to the perspective in a bid to
step up
cooperation between EU and Indonesia," Indonesian
Ambassador to EU,
Nasrudin Sumintapura told ANTARA here Wednesday.

The conference which is slated to be held in the
Hague, the
Netherlands on May 12-13, 2000 will be jointly led by
the former
Netherlands Prime Minister, Ruud Lubbers and chairman
of Indonesia’s
Economic Advisory Council, Prof. Emil Salim.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance
and Industry,
Kwik Kian Gie and Foreign Affairs Minister, Alwi
Shihab are
scheduled to convey addresses representing Indonesian
government.

According to Sumintapura, the conference reflects
that the EU
resumes enhancing their attention to help overcome
Indonesian
problems.

"This conference as a follow up of President
Abdurahman Wahid’s
talks with the EU’s officials during his recent visit
to EU," the
ambassador said, adding that the IDF welcomes the
effort to stepping
up EU-Indonesia’s ties.

Chairman of IDF’s executive council, Peter Inderburg,
following
President Wahid’s visit to the Netherlands, has sent
a letter to
Sumintapura, expressing hope to combining ideas for
preparation of
the conference with the main topic of discussion is
about the way to
improve potentials of developing economy, politics,
regional
developments and cooperation to protect the human
rights.

Sumintapura cited that minister Kwik Kian Gie will
expose in the
conference about information on the country’s state
budget, 2000 in
its relation with the government’s effort to enhance
the economic
activities as well as the business sector.

"This conference is also expected to restore the EU’s
confidence to
the country situation in effort to place their
investment or
relocate their business in Indonesia without
hesitation. Thus,
Indonesian businessemen are also expected to make use
of the
conference to broaden their lobby," he noted.

EU comprising Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium,
Denmark, Finland,
England, Italy Irland, Germany, Luxemburg, France,
Portugal, Sweden,
Spain and the Greece.

KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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

Subj: JP: Churches reject Papuan separatists
Date: 2/24/00 5:01:43 PM Central Standard Time
From: Joyo@aol.com (by way of Charles Scheiner )
To: reg.westpapua@gn.apc.org

Jakarta Post
February 25, 2000

Churches reject Papuan separatists

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): All 11 Protestant denominations here have declared
their rejection of the separatist movement, but vowed to maintain truth and
justice for the sake of peace in the restive province.

Rev. John Imbiri, secretary of the synod of the Evangelical Christian Church
(GKI), told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that the rejection was clear
evidence that the churches took a neutral stance in the political fray that
has long battered the easternmost province.

Imbiri said that the declaration signed by church leaders would be made
public soon. "People want to know whether the churches reject or support the
demand for independent West Papua."

The declaration says that the independence demand was an old issue. "The
desire has become stronger following injustice and human rights violation for
more than 30 years. But the churches do not take sides with any group." The
declaration also says that Church is "to proclaim the arrival of the Kingdom
of God along with its values like truth, justice, peace and rejoicing."

Enhancing truth and justice is the prerequisite for peace, the church leaders
said, "therefore, the churches reject any attempt to oppose the value of
truth and justice".

The churches will continue raising a prophetic voice against any institutions
or individuals when dignity is not respected by rights violations,
discrimination and any form of injustice, the statement said.

Meanwhile in Sentani, some 30 kilometers south of here, some 2,500 people
attended the first ever Papuan Congress, which was opened on Wednesday.

The congress, sponsored by the Institute of the Papuan Assembly, was aimed at
finding peaceful solutions to the lingering problems in Papua.

Twenty-eight leading figures of the Free Papua Movement (OPM), who live in
Papua New Guinea (PNG) also attended the congress, which will end on Feb. 26.

Frans Albert Yoku, leader of the PNG delegation, told the Post that the
delegation consisted of residents of Irian Jaya (West Papua) who escaped to
PNG for survival. "We come to give necessary contributions to the struggle of
West Papuan independence," Frans said.

The church leaders earlier called on the provincial and Jakarta authorities
to let the congress be held in order to give Papuans the chance to promote
democracy and human rights. (eba)

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

Subj: KABAR-IRIAN: [EN] Freeport funding studies of 5,000 Irian students
Date: 2/22/00 7:21:54 PM Central Standard Time
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Indonesian Observer
February 22, 2000
Freeport funding studies of 5,000 Irian students

JAKARTA (IO) =97 As the government prepares to evaluate PT Freeport
Indonesia=92s Contract of Work, the giant gold and copper mining
company has pointed out that 5,000 people of Irian Jaya/West Papua
are still on company scholarships, some at university level.

The scholarship program is part of the company=92s commitment to
developing local human resources. Students on the scholarships are
studying either in West Papua, Java or abroad.

Critics say Freeport employs too few Irianese. Freeport officials
agree, but say local education standards are often too low. Until a
few decades ago, most Irianese were still living in the stone age
and some still are. Hence the scholarship program.

Freeport contributes 1% of its gross revenues =97 that means about
US$16.5 million in 1999 =97 to a fund to help people from seven local
ethnic groups. Many Irianese say this is too little.

The mining company produces gold and copper concentrate. After
smelting, the refined metal is worth an estimated US$2 billion a
year. The 1999 revenues of the mine operator=92s parent, New
Orleans-based Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc, had been forecast
at US$1.6 billion.

Freeport started giving 1% of its profits to locals in 1996 after
widespread protests that the company was exploiting the land and
giving its traditional owners nothing in return except displacement,
misery and repression from the Indonesian military.

The 1% fund is administered by the Development Institution for the
Irian Jaya Community (LPMI).

LPMI head T.O. Potereyauw yesterday stressed the company is
committed to improving the education of locals, and it hopes that
some of them will go back to work at the mine.

In 1996 and 1997, the 1% of revenue =97 then amounting to about Rp41.1
billion (then worth US$17 million) each year =97 was handled by an
institution called the Timika Comprehensive Development Body (PWT).

Due to apparent mismanagement of the fund and the failure to provide
detailed reports on how the money was spent, then-Irian Jaya
governor Bass Suebu in 1998 dissolved the institution headed by H.
Makbon, and founded LPMI.

LPMI head Potereyauw is the regent of Mimika, the main area where
Freeport operates in West Papua.

Aside from the 1% of revenue, West Papua province also receives
annual royalties of between Rp300 billion (US$41 million) and Rp400
billion (US$55 million).

Mimika receives most of the royalties, getting Rp120 billion
(US$16.4 million) from last year=92s earnings.

Freeport is also allocating a fund of US$100 million that will be
used by the local government for rehabilitation projects on
exhausted mining sites.

Freeport=92s Grasberg open-cast mine, at an elevation of just over
4,000 metres above sea level, will be two kilometers across by the
end of its working life.

That will be around 2015, but there will still be lots more ore in
the area after that.


KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News")

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