Fourth victim dies in bloody Timika clashes

Fourth victim dies in bloody Timika clashes

The Jakarta Post, Timika/Jakarta

Despite police reinforcements, the death toll has now risen to
four in the bloody clashes between Papuans who are in favor of
and those who are against the recent formal establishment of
Central Irian Jaya province.

Lambertus Unioma, who was in favor of the new province, died
of serious injuries at his residence in SP II village in Mimika
late on Wednesday. With the latest death, there are hopes that
the situation will now calm down as the clashes have claimed the
lives of two supporters from each of the conflicting camps.

A tribal leader from the highlands had refused to try to stop
the clashes and resolve the matter peacefully because his group
wanted another victim from the rival group to match the deaths on
his own side.

Meanwhile, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said the
sending of 100 more riot police to Timika on Thursday was
expected to help calm down the situation and stop the clashes.

He said that according to the latest report he had received
from Timika, the situation was gradually returning to normal but
security personnel remained on alert in strategic areas of the
town so as to prevent any more clashes.

The police had also enhanced security in the SP II area, the
stronghold of Papuans opposing the province's partition.

Timika legislative council speaker Andareas Anggaibak, who
inaugurated the new province on Saturday, said his supporters
were holding talks with the rival group to settle the conflict in
accordance with local customs.

Despite the absence of clashes on Thursday, the situation in
the regency town was still tense, with the opposing groups still
in evidence armed with machetes, bows and arrows, and spears.
Riot police have been deployed to keep the two groups apart.

As of Thursday evening, Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Budi
Utomo was still trying to negotiate a settlement between the
warring camps to resolve the conflict peacefully and in
accordance with local customs.

"The police chief met the two opposing groups separately. We
are still negotiating with them to restore peace," Timika Police
chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Paulus Waterpauw said.

Meanwhile, Papuan figures voiced approval of the government's
decision to delay the new province's establishment, but warned it
should serve as a first step toward a root-and-branch review of
the government's repressive policies in Papua, and to replace
these with pro-Papuan policies.

Rev. Herman Saud, the chairman of the Council of Papuan
Evangelical Churches, said the government had the power to review
any laws affecting Papua, but that this should be done in the
interests of the Papuan people.

"The government should comply with all the laws that have been
passed, and whatever is done should be designed to improve the
Papuan people's wellbeing rather than to further the central
government's interests," he said.

The government said on Wednesday that it would amend a number
of conflicting laws on Papua, including Law No. 21 on special
autonomy, Law No. 45 on the formation of West and Central Irian
Jaya provinces, and Presidential Instruction No. 1/2003 on the
acceleration of the two provinces' establishment.

Herman objected to the government's plan to review the special
autonomy law as it had only been in effect for two years.

Timika councillor Agustin Iwangin said all sides involved in
drafting the conflicting laws should take part in the review
process, but warned that the review must not bring more misery to
the Papuan people.

In Jakarta, dozens of Papuan students and youths staged a
rally near the House of Representatives complex, demanding that
the government and military stop orchestrating conflicts in their
home province.

The rally drew the attention of passersby as the protesters
were dressed in traditional customs. Their protest led to traffic
congestion along Jl. Gatot Subroto.

In a related development, the home ministry regretted the
police's statement that the ministry and the State Intelligence
Agency (BIN) were behind the clashes, saying the police should
"clarify" the statement.

Home ministry spokesman Nyoman Sumaryadi said it was
inconceivable that his ministry could have been behind the
clashes.

The government's decision to restore the status quo in Central
Irian Jaya was also applauded by the House of Representatives.

"That is the right decision. We have to cool things down,"
said House Commission II deputy chairman Ferry Mursyidan Baldan.

Ferry, who was also involved in the deliberation of the
relevant laws, said the House was ready to review the legislation
with the government so as to produce better policies in the
future for the resource-rich province.

Fellow legislator Hamdan Zoelva concurred and said the
situation in Papua would likely worsen unless prudent decisions
were made.