Condemnation abounds for Theys's 'murder'
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
President Megawati Soekartnoputri's political party on Tuesday condemned the (suspected) murder of Irian Jaya independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluai and urged that the security authorities uncover the mystery surrounding his death.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) also appealed to Papuans not to resort to violence over his mysterious death, saying that the (suspected) murder was a setback for the implementation of wide-ranging autonomy in the country's easternmost province of Irian Jaya, known as West Papua to its indigenous people.
"We condemn the incident as it goes against the party's principle of nonviolence, and urge the security forces to solve the case as soon as possible," the party's deputy chairman Roy B.B. Janis said after a meeting between Papuan representatives and Megawati at the party's headquarters in Jakarta on Tuesday.
The team of doctors which examined Theys's body at the Jayapura General Hospital said that Theys may not have been murdered.
Separately on Tuesday, Director of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) Hendardi said the government must be responsible for solving the Theys case, especially given the many accusations that he was murdered by troops.
"We all know that political interest is the strongest motive for Theys's murder. As the military is still involved in politics on an ongoing basis, it is reasonable to assume the military murdered Theys in order to win their political goals," Hendardi told The Jakarta Post.
The TNI had earlier denied being behind Theys's death.
Theys was found dead on Sunday in his car on the Sentani- Jayapura road. He had been reported kidnapped by unidentified men on his way home after attending a military function on Saturday evening. His driver Ari Masoka is still missing.
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien Rais also backed mounting calls for a thorough probe into Theys's death, saying an inquiry could help curb tension between Jakarta and the Papuans.
"Don't let this case remain a mystery because it will negatively affect the trust of the Papuan people in the Jakarta government," he said after receiving Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday.
Asmara Nababan, secretary-general of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), said his commission would prefer to leave the investigation to the government.
Meanwhile, chairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute Foundation (YLBHI) Bambang Widjojanto said in Yogyakarta on Tuesday that Theys's death was a setback for the dialog process in resolving the problems besetting the restive province of Irian Jaya.
Bambang, who spent his career as the head of the LBH's Irian Jaya chapter before becoming chairman of the foundation, said Theys's death would only create new conflict in the province.