Army yet to receive copy of report on Timika killings

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces not been able to comment on the recent findings of the National Commission on Human Rights regarding the killings in Timika, Irian Jaya, saying it had not received a copy of the report.

The commission announced here Friday that 16 civilians were killed and four others went missing during various military operations in Indonesia's easternmost province.

Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Hardi Karso told The Jakarta Post yesterday that the Army had not yet received the report.

"I don't think the Human Rights body is obliged to send it to us," he said.

However, Hardi said that the Army will take stern measures against officers involved in the incidents.

"All officers involved will be brought before a military tribunal. ABRI (the Armed Forces) will not try to cover up the case nor protect those involved," he said.

He said a joint team consisting of officers from the Army Headquarters and the Trikora Military Command, whose jurisdiction includes Irian Jaya, is working hard to investigate the case as a follow-up of its recent findings about the incidents.

"The Army will only announce the number of officers involved when the team, which is led by the Trikora Command's inspector general, has completed its tasks," he said.

The spokesmen said that the case would be handled in the way the Armed Forces handled the Liquisa incident in East Timor in January.

Two Army members were sentenced to four years, and four years and sixth months imprisonment respectively last June for shooting to death six unarmed local villagers during a patrol.

The Army dispatched a fact-finding team to East Timor after the human rights commission found human rights violations there.

Armed Forces Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung told the House of Representatives last week that he had ordered the Army chief to take stern actions against those involved in the incidents which took place when officers were launching operations against members of the Free Papua separatist group between October 1994 and June 1995.

Some of the incidents happened close to operations area of PT Freeport Indonesia, an American copper-mining company. (rms)