Though weak, OPM still a time bomb, officials say<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Free Papua Movement (OPM) may be weak and
\ndivided, but it could still be a time bomb for Irian Jaya, local
\nofficials said.<\/p>\n
Irian Jaya governor Jacob Pattipi said the OPM is divided into
\none camp which is led by Kelly Kwalik, who abducted members of
\nthe Lorentz '95 expedition of the World Wildlife Fund, and the
\nother by Mathias Wenda.<\/p>\n
Kwalik, a tribal leader of Amungme in the Fakfak regency has
\nbeen in revolt since his clan's demand for compensation for the
\ncommunal land acquired by the U.S.-based copper giant PT Freeport
\nwas turned down.<\/p>\n
The Kwalik group has concentrated its activities in Freeport's
\nmining areas, Pattipi said.<\/p>\n
Wenda went to the jungle for guerrilla warfare in 1977 because
\nhe was unhappy with the government's development policy for the
\nBaliem Valley, which is renowned for its natural beauty.<\/p>\n
Wenda wanted the government to prioritize the development of
\nhis clan's home village.<\/p>\n
"His demand was rejected because the government means to
\ndevelop the whole area to improve the well-being of all people in
\nthe Valley," Pattipi told Antara.<\/p>\n
Frustrated, Wenda went to the jungle and crossed the border
\nwith Papua New Guinea to the Sandaun province, where they base
\ntheir activities.<\/p>\n
"If they come home, I'm sure they will admire the progress of
\nthe development they have missed since they entered the jungle,"
\nPattipi said.<\/p>\n
Apparently, Wenda is afraid to return for fear of reprisal by
\nrelatives of the people he duped into following him, he said.<\/p>\n
"He is riding a tiger ... he is haunted by danger and he knows
\nonly well the tiger will devour him if he gets off."<\/p>\n
In Berlin, Germany, Merauke regent Col. (ret.) R. Soekardjo
\nsaid although "militarily weak", these low-level rebellions could
\nrepresent a "time bomb."<\/p>\n
The regent is in Berlin to accompany a group of Asmat tribal
\npeople who perform cultural shows in Europe.<\/p>\n
He suggested that the government start using non-military
\napproaches, such as information campaigns, to stop the uprising.<\/p>\n
Armed with sophisticated rifles, such as M-16s and AKAs, the
\nOPM rebels are based within Papua New Guinean territory, he said.
\nAmong their goals is to disrupt the relations between the two
\ncountries, he added.<\/p>\n
The OPM rebels, who were used as puppets by the Dutch colonial
\nadministrators in the early 1960s, when Indonesia was struggling
\nto take over Irian Jaya, is intensifying its activity to attract
\ninternational attention to their cause, the regent said.<\/p>\n
Soekardjo underlined that Jakarta has been paying greater
\nattention to the development of the eastern provinces including
\nIrian Jaya.<\/p>\n
At present, the government is pouring in money to build a
\ntrans-Irian highway to improve communications in the thinly
\npopulated vast territory, he added. (pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/though-weak-opm-still-a-time-bomb-officials-say-1447893297",
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