Family, friends on bury Theys on Saturday
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Secretary of the proindependence Papuan Presidium Council (PDP) Thaha Al Hamid said in Jayapura, Irian Jaya, on Wednesday that the body of PDP chairman Theys Hiyo Eluay would be buried on Saturday, and called on all investigating teams to speed up the release of the final post-mortem report.
"The post-mortem report should be handed over to Theys's family before the funeral. This means that Theys's heart should have been flown back from the final examination before the funeral," Al Hamid told The Jakarta Post at his residence in Jayapura.
But he hinted that the funeral could commence on Saturday with or without the heart, which was reportedly being examined so as to determine the cause of Theys's death.
He said Theys's family, the tribal council and the PDP had agreed that Theys's funeral should be held on Saturday.
Hamid said that Theys would be buried in a plot of land belonging to his family in Sentani, about one kilometer away from Theys's residence.
The land, previously used as a soccer field by locals, is part of a larger landholding belonging to the Theys family.
"The family has decided that part of the plot will be used for the burial of Papuan freedom fighters, and Theys will be the first," a member of the family said.
Police are reportedly anticipating large crowds of mourners for the funeral.
Deputy chief of the Irian Jaya Police Brig. Gen. Rasiman Tarigan said that he would deploy a sufficient number of police officers to maintain order.
Despite the plan for Theys's funeral, many are still puzzled about the cause of his death.
Theys had previously undergone treatment in Cikini Hospital in Jakarta for a heart problem, among other ailments.
The team of Jayapura doctors who examined Theys's body on Sunday concluded that he had choked to death. Dr. Kelemen Mayakori, the head of Jayapura General Hospital, said that there was no sign of strangulation or violence that could have caused Theys's death.
"Theys might not have been murdered," Kelemen said on Monday.
He did not say that some of Theys's internal organs had been removed for further examination under police supervision.
On Tuesday, the Irian Jaya Police confirmed that Theys's internal organs were to be sent to Makassar, South Sulawesi, for further examination at the Hasanuddin University's forensic laboratory, which covers the eastern Indonesian region, to determine the cause of death.
South Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Firman Gani said on Wednesday that he had heard nothing about the plan.
Prof. Solihin Wirasugena, the head of Hasanuddin University's forensic laboratory said that he had not received Theys's heart. "Do you think I would lie to you?" he told The Jakarta Post
On Tuesday, a member of his staff, Dr. Mahmud, said that Theys's heart had been flown to the University of Indonesia's forensic laboratory in Jakarta, instead of Makassar.
Meanwhile, noted forensic expert from the University of Indonesia, Dr. Mun'iem Idries, denied that Theys's heart had already been sent to Jakarta.
"As far as I know, both the University of Indonesia's forensic laboratory and the National Police headquarter's forensic department have yet to receive Theys's heart," Mun'iem said in Jakarta on Wednesday.
A similar denial was also voiced by a representative of the forensic department at the Cipto Mangunkusomo Hospital, Jakarta.
Dr. Agus Purwadianto said that his department had yet to be notified by the police or hospital management regarding the delivery of Theys's heart.
"We haven't received it. And thus far, neither the police nor the hospital management has notified us," said Agus.
Denial was also the order of the day for Brig. Gen. Saleh Saaf, the National Police spokesman in Jakarta.
While the mystery behind Theys's death has yet to be resolved, the mystery behind Theys's missing heart is taking on a life of its own.
The process of taking out Theys' internal organs was reportedly carried out in accordance with the law.
Papuan Human Rights Advocacy Team secretary Latifah Anom Siregar said that the procedures were complied with. "Before the autopsy started, the police asked for the family's permission," she said.
Theys's wife Yaneke Ohee left the details to Latifah and Thaha Al Hamid, the PDP's secretary general. "Hamid and I approved the autopsy," said Latifah.
Amid the uncertainty surrounding Theys's death, police have so far questioned 12 people as witnesses.
The National Police's inspector general, Comr. Gen. Ahwil Luthan, said in Jakarta on Wednesday that all of the 12 were locals.
The police are also still trying to trace the whereabouts of Ari Masoka, Theys's driver, who drove Theys to the dinner to observe National Heroes Day arranged by the Tribuana Army Task Force in Jayapura hours before Theys was found dead.
It was Ari who called Theys's wife, informing her that a group of people had attacked them on their way home from the dinner. Ari is still missing.
A reliable police source told the Post in Jayapura that a team from National Police headquarters (Jakarta) arrived in Jayapura on Wednesday. "They are holding closed-door meetings with local police and will start their investigation tomorrow," the source said on Wednesday.