Cause of Theys' death still a mystery

R.K. Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura

The death of the Papuan Presidium Council (PDP) chairman Theys Hiyo Eluay remained a mystery as a team of doctors who examined his body, claimed on Monday that they believed that Theys might not have been murdered.

Dr. Kelemen Mayakori, the head of the Jayapura General Hospital revealed the results of the post-mortem examination, which apparently showed that the 63-year-old Theys had choked to death. He ruled out strangulation as the cause of the death, because there were no bruises on his neck.

Kelemen, who led the autopsy on Theys, said the team of doctors had found injuries around his mouth and nose, certain bodily secretions consistent with suffocation victims, but found no injuries to his internal organs. "He did not die of a gunshot wound," he added

"We carried out a thorough examination. What we found was the usual condition of a person who hangs himself to death (suffocation). But we found no (external) signs indicating that he had hanged himself," he told The Jakarta Post, without elaborating.

Dr. Kelemen added, however that something had blocked Theys' breathing passages, resulting in fatal oxygen debt.

Theys was found dead in his car on Sunday at Muara Tami, a district west of Jayapura. He had been reported kidnapped by a group of people on his way home to Sentani, after attending a dinner an Army base in Hamadi, Jayapura. The dinner was held in observance of National Heroes Day.

Police had earlier speculated that Theys had been strangled.

In Jakarta, National Police Spokesman Brig. Gen. Saleh Saaf further speculated that Theys had been murdered by his own men.

"Theys was relatively moderate in the struggle for a Free Papua, using diplomacy and non-violence. Maybe the Free Papuan hardliners murdered him," Saleh theorized

Saleh claimed that the death of Theys was purely a normal crime, and not necessarily politically motivated.

Also in Jakarta, a deputy of the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, Maj. Gen.(ret) Ilyas Yusuf called on everybody on Monday not to hurriedly conclude anything about Theys' death.

"Any theory or speculation is possible, but everybody must refrain from rushing to conclusions or assumptions," Ilyas said.

"The murderers must be irresponsible people. But, we do not know who they are, therefore we cannot assume anything before the police get appropriate evidence," he said.

Meanwhile, a member of the pro-independence Papuan Presidium Council (PDP), Andy D. Manoby, along with the chairman of the Jakarta-based Communication Forum for Papuan Youth, John Poly Menanti, accused the Indonesian military of assassinating Theys.

The two activists asserted that Theys was killed by well- trained amber (non-Papuan people).

"The location where Pak Theys' body was found -- Koya village -- is close to a military post in which nobody is allowed to pass without prior inspection by officers on guard.

"Since Pak Theys, could pass the post, it means that the assassin might have been familiar with the military," Manoby told a press conference held at the Legal Aid Institute's (LBH) office in Jakarta on Monday.

According to Manoby, the military authorities in Papua have been conducting night patrols in the region since September and those would last until December, aimed at anticipating a possible independence rally there on Dec. 1.

In Jayapura, the chief of the Kopassus Army elite troop Task Force (Tribuana VIII Tas Force) based in Jayapura, Lt. Col. Hartomo told reporters on Monday that his troop felt slandered by rumors that Kopassus was behind Theys' death.

"Theys was presented at the dinner as a Papuan leader," Hartomo said, referring to Saturday's dinner at the Tribuana camp.

"Minutes after Theys' wife was informed by his driver that a group of people kidnapped Theys, she called the Tribuana post asking for help. Tribuana members and Theys' family reportedly had a good relationship. There was no reason for us and the military to kidnap or kill Theys," Hartomo said.

Hartomo and Trikora Military Command spokesman Lt. Col. R. Siregar said that the military condemned the murder.

"Kopassus would help police investigate Theys' death," said Hartomo.