Protests delay relocation of inmates<\/p>\n
JAYAPURA, Papua: The relocation of 13 inmates -- convicted of
\ninvolvement in the 2000 riot in Papua, in which at least 26
\npeople were killed -- from their prison in Wamena town, to a
\nprison in East Java has been delayed due to security reasons.<\/p>\n
Papua justice and human rights office head Aronggear confirmed
\non Monday that the prisoners would not be moved until after
\nChristmas.<\/p>\n
Should the 13 prisoners be relocated, the local people could
\nprotest, risking the destabilization of Papua, he added.<\/p>\n
\"We will also give them a chance to celebrate Christmas with
\ntheir families,\" Aronggear said.<\/p>\n
He said several lawyers from the Jayapura Legal Aid Institute,
\nthe El-Sham human rights group and the Papua Presidium Council
\n(PDP) had met with him earlier to question why the planned
\nrelocation was necessary.<\/p>\n
Protests also came from the families of the prisoners and
\nlocal Church leader Socrates Sofyan Yoman, who feared for the
\nprisoner's safety if they were imprisoned outside Papua.<\/p>\n
The 13 inmates were sentenced to between one and four years in
\nprison for their roles in the Oct. 6, 2000 incident that erupted
\nfollowing the forcible removal of the Kejora (morning star) flag
\nby police and soldiers in Wamena, Jayawijaya regency.<\/p>\n
The riot turned into an ethnic conflict, in which indigenous
\nPapuans attacked and killed migrants and destroyed their
\nbelongings. --JP<\/p>\n
C. Java's PKB recalls six councillors<\/p>\n
SEMARANG: The National Awakening Party (PKB) has officially
\nrecalled its six councillors in Central Java after they shifted
\ntheir allegiance to its splinter faction, the Democratic Glory
\nParty (PKD) led by defense minister Matori Abdul Djalil.<\/p>\n
The decision to remove the six councillors was announced on
\nMonday by Abdul Kadir Karding, who chairs the PKB faction in the
\nCentral Java legislative council.<\/p>\n
\"This morning, I was summoned by council speaker Pak Mardijo
\nin relation to PKB's request. The letter (recalling them) has
\nbeen signed by four council leaders and will soon be handed over
\nto the Central Java governor for approval,\" Karding said.<\/p>\n
The councillors concerned are deputy council speaker Ircham
\nAbdurrachim, Hajjah Faizah Idris, Rochadi Soekardi, Chumaidy
\nTamyiz, Ali Hannan Fatah and Syarifuddin Husen.<\/p>\n
Karding could not say who would replace the six, as the issue
\nwas being discussed by his party.<\/p>\n
PKB split into two factions -- one led by Alwi Shihab and
\nanother by Matori who later renamed his party the PKD in a bid to
\ncontest the 2004 election.<\/p>\n
However, the PKD was disqualified from contesting the 2004
\nelections, while Matori is being hospitalized in Singapore for a
\nstroke. --JP<\/p>\n
Rector warns of fresh Poso unrest<\/p>\n
PALU, Central Sulawesi: University of Tadulako rector
\nSahabuddin Mustafa urged political parties and authorities on
\nMonday to hold only closed-door campaigns next year in Poso in
\norder to prevent fresh fighting in the violence-torn town.<\/p>\n
Campaigns held in open fields involving crowds could trigger
\nrenewed violence, he told a workshop for electoral supervisors in
\nthe provincial capital of Palu.<\/p>\n
Sahabuddin said similar campaigns through dialogs should also
\nbe planned for the neighboring regency of Morowali, which like
\nPoso has suffered recent attacks by masked gunmen after the
\nDecember 2001 peace deal.<\/p>\n
Responding to the rector's call, Central Sulawesi Police chief
\nBrig. Gen. Taufik Ridha said he was not worried about the
\npossibility of fresh violence in Poso and Morowali during
\npolitical campaigns ahead of the 2004 elections, as long as all
\nparties abided by the existing rules.<\/p>\n
However, he said the police would deploy around 3,467
\npersonnel to guard the upcoming elections. --JP<\/p>",
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