Irianese ask Kontras to reveal human right abuses<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Some 30 Irianese representing different groups
\nvisited on Monday the Commission for Missing Persons and Victim
\nof Violence (Kontras), demanding the non-governmental
\norganization help reveal human right abuses in the province.<\/p>\n
The delegation from the eastern tip of Irian Jaya also asked
\nKontras to establish a fact-finding team and to bring witnesses
\nof the violations to Jakarta so that they could deliver their
\ntestimonies.<\/p>\n
\"We demand Kontras, as a reputable organization in defending
\nhuman rights, seriously handle the cases in Irian Jaya,\" head of
\nthe Irian Jaya Young Generation Communication Forum, Jhon Poli
\nMenanti said.<\/p>\n
Incidents the forum's spokesman referred to included the July
\n1998 incident in Biak and recent severe clashes with military
\ntroops in which Irianese students were shot.<\/p>\n
The Biak incident was triggered by a wave of proindependence
\nprotests in early July 1998, which prompted the military to take
\ntough action in the area, wounding dozens of locals.<\/p>\n
The delegation comprised six different organizations, each
\nrepresenting communities in Irian Jaya.<\/p>\n
Also pressing their case at Kontras were the Papua Human
\nRights Center, the Megawati Soekarnoputri Supporters
\nOrganization, the Youth Committee for Papuan People's Rights, the
\nIrian Jaya Muslim Alliance and the Jakarta chapter of the Irian
\nJaya Students Union.<\/p>\n
The Irianese said they were extremely disappointed with
\ninvestigations into the case conducted by the National Commission
\non Human Rights (Komnasham).<\/p>\n
\"We want Komnasham to publicly announce the results of its
\ninvestigation,\" Menanti said.<\/p>\n
The groups also threatened to occupy the Komnasham office if
\nthe commission failed to publicly announce results of their
\ninvestigations within three days.<\/p>\n
Speaking on behalf of Kontras, Legal Aid Institute member
\nIrianto Subaktio told the delegation that Kontras had forwarded
\ntheir findings on human rights abuses in Irian Jaya to the United
\nNations during the human rights conference held in Geneva in May
\n1998.<\/p>\n
He also rejected an accusation by some of the protesters that
\nKontras discriminated against raising awareness of alleged human
\nrights abuses in Irian Jaya, preferring to draw attention to
\nvictims in Aceh, Ambon and East Timor.<\/p>\n
\"Kontras is an antidiscrimination commission and we would
\nnever differentiate between cases,\" Irianto said. (03)<\/p>",
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