Dec. 1 observed peacefully in Irian

Dec. 1 observed peacefully in Irian

By Emmy Fitri

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): Police on Friday evening lowered
the Morning Star separatist flag in a tense but emotional
ceremony which capped the day-long commemoration observance of
the 1961 unrecognized declaration of independence.

No incident broke out, except for shouts of protest in the
crowd of hundreds of proindependence supporters as the five
police personnel brought down the flag and handed it over to
Irianese representatives.

Some women were seen crying during the ceremony which marked
what could be the last time the flag was hoisted.

Also lowered was the national red and white flag.

Both the government and the proindependence supporters have
agreed that the separatist flag will not fly as of Dec. 2, except
in five places, namely, Serui, Fakfak, Manokwari, Jayapura and at
the peak of the Jayawijaya mountain.

"We took the best and most honorable decision by letting the
police, and not ourselves, lower the flag and give it to us in a
civil manner," a woman said.

A proindependence leader Silep Karma rose to the stand to calm
the protesters, reminding the crowd of possible bloodshed if they
insisted on having the flag hoisted and maintain their call for
independence.

The ceremony, which took place at the Imbi field finished at
around 10.30 p.m. local time. After the program, people were seen
massing in small groups, under close watch of security troops.

Also present in the ceremony were the provincial police chief,
Brig. Gen. Sylvanus Y. Wenas and the Jayapura police chief Supt.
Daud Sihombing.

Several angry people were seen punching Wenas' car as he left
the venue. No further incident erupted as others managed to calm
them down.

Peace also marked the morning procession held in heavy
downpour at the same venue.

Under a heavy security cordon around the field, Irianese,
gathered from various parts of the city and nearby towns. They
prayed and sang local patriotic songs.

The celebration, which started at around 5 a.m. (local time)
was attended by at least a thousand people. A group of around 100
people from the Jayawija mountain, who were clad in their
traditional costumes, were applauded when they arrived at the
field. They had come to the capital of the province by foot, a
journey that took them about two weeks.

The peaceful celebration, however, turned slightly tense when
the crowd protested when the emcee told them that they would be
treated to songs and traditional dances.

Maky Ofidae shouted that he had come to hear a political
announcement from the Papuan Presidium Council and not for
entertainment.

"We want freedom and not entertainment. We have given our all
for freedom. Where is the accountability of the council?" Maky
yelled.

One of the executives of the West Papua National Committee,
Barnabas Yufuai, tried to calm the crowd saying that they should
not become emotional as the council had agreed with the local
administration not to make political statements.

"Let's not only think about today, think of the future. We
have a strategy. There are things that should be told (in public)
and things not be told . We respect the agreement although we are
pressed not to do what our people want," Barnabas said.

The committee then agreed to read out the evaluation of the
council's performance. Its success, among others, was having had
won permission from President Abdurrahman Wahid to hoist the
Morning Star flag. The council, during its participation in the
U.N. Millennium Summit in New York, had also received support and
recognition of its independence from two countries, Vanuatu and
Namuru, a success at an international level.

Speaking to reporters after the celebration, Thom Beanal,
deputy chairman of the council, maintained that Irianese were
ready for independence, ready to secede from the unitary state of
the Republic of Indonesia and run a modern government.

"We are ready but have not been given the chance yet. In 1961,
when we had nothing we were also prepared for independence. Now
we have a lot of educated people here, we are even more ready."

"But we also have to play by the rules of the law of the
nation in which we are now. Respect for the law is a must," Thom
said.

Thom was representing council chairman Theys Hiyo Eluay who
has been detained by Jayapura Police along with council
secretary-general Thaha Moh. Alhamid, executives Jhon Mambor and
Don A.L. Flassy.

Meanwhile in Jakarta, some 200 Irian Jaya students from across
Java marked the day with a rally in front of the United States
embassy, demanding the withdrawal of the Indonesian Military from
the province.

The students also demanded the U.S. hold an international
dialog to solve the Irian Jaya problem.

The protest, which began at 10 a.m., turned violent when some
police officers forced the group to disperse and arrested five of
them.

"Five of our friends were detained at the city police
headquarters and two were slightly injured because of the attack
by police officers," one of the protesters, Hengki Yoko, said.

The protesters dispersed after the incident.