Gen. Feisal admits Timika deaths involved 'error'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung conceded
\nyesterday that there had been \"a procedural error and a violation
\nof regulations\" in soldiers' handling of an incident in the
\nmining town of Timika, Irian Jaya, in June.<\/p>\n
Feisal declined to reveal the number of casualties in the
\nincident, but said it took place on June 1 during a military
\noperation which had the aim of ambushing a group of people
\nbelonging to the Free Papua Organization (OPM) armed separatist
\ngroup.<\/p>\n
\"During this operation, there were casualties on both the
\nmilitary and the GPK sides,\" he told a hearing with Commission I
\nof the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
\"GPK\" is the military shorthand normally reserved for
\nseparatist groups like OPM. The acronym stands for Gerakan
\nPengacau Keamanan (security-disturbing movement).<\/p>\n
About 30 youths from the Forum for Solidarity of Irian
\nStudents in Java were present at the hearing. The forum's members
\nhave held a number of demonstrations in the past two weeks
\ndemanding action over the Timika incident, which came to national
\nattention several weeks ago after a group of non-governmental
\norganizations said that at least 17 civilians had been killed by
\nsecurity forces in the town.<\/p>\n
The National Commission on Human Rights has sent a fact-
\nfinding team to Timika and is expected to announce the results of
\nits inquiry on Friday. The Army has also sent its own team to
\ninvestigate.<\/p>\n
\"Based on the (preliminary) report I received from the Army
\nChief of Staff, there was a violation of procedures and
\nregulations during the incident,\" Feisal said.<\/p>\n
He said he has instructed Army Chief of Staff Gen. R. Hartono
\nto take firm action against the soldiers who breached the
\nprocedures and regulations.<\/p>\n
Feisal said that OPM has stepped up its activities in Timika
\nsince May of last year, terrorizing both the local people and
\nemployees of American mining company PT Freeport Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"Their activities have included the hoisting of their own
\nofficial (OPM) flag, shooting at employees of the company
\n(Freeport), attacking military posts and stealing weapons,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Responding to questions from House members, the general
\ncategorically denied a more recent report suggesting that his
\ntroops in Timika had fired on a church congregation.<\/p>\n
Feisal also defended the presence of Freeport in Timika,
\nsaying the company had brought immense benefits to the nation,
\nparticularly the people of Irian Jaya. \"I think we all know that
\nFreeport is vital to our finances,\" he added.<\/p>\n
He said Freeport had developed various programs for the
\ndevelopment of the community in Timika and its surroundings.<\/p>\n
\"(But) if the commission members feel it necessary to review
\nthe company's presence in Timika, they should discuss it with the
\nminister of mines and energy, and not with me,\" he said in
\nresponse to calls from some House members that the government
\nreview Freeport's operating license.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, some 50 Irianese students held a demonstration
\noutside Freeport's Jakarta office, calling on the mining company
\nto accept some of the responsibility for the Timika incident.<\/p>\n
The protesters said Freeport had a hand in the incident or,
\nalternatively, knew about the killings but kept silent.<\/p>\n
The protest ended peacefully after one hour.<\/p>\n
Freeport's public affairs manager, Edward J. Pressman, told
\nreporters that the matter was now in the hands of the National
\nCommission on Human Rights. \"I do not want to bypass the
\nCommission. I'll be happy to comment once they have filed their
\nreport,\" Pressman told reporters.<\/p>\n
\"There's been a lot of misinformation about the facilities
\nthat were used,\" Pressman said in relation to allegations that
\nsome of the facilities used by the military in the incident were
\nowned by Freeport.<\/p>\n
During the same hearing, Feisal also spoke of the spate of
\nriots in East Timor between Sept. 2 and Sept. 12.<\/p>\n
He said the riots had their origins in three unrelated
\nincidents: the announcement of the results of the civil service
\nentrance test, which angered those who were not admitted; remarks
\nby an official that denigrated Roman Catholicism, which is the
\nmain religion in East Timor; and the marriage of two people from
\ndifferent churches, which fueled anger among the local people.<\/p>\n
He said the three incidents were exploited by some people to
\nstir up the people's anger, leading to the riots in several towns
\nin East Timor.<\/p>\n
He said mosques and Protestant churches had been among the
\ntargets of destruction during the riots. (rms)<\/p>\n
Timor -- Page 2<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gen-feisal-admits-timika-deaths-involved-error-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }