Govt accused of planning Theys' death

Govt accused of planning Theys' death

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence
(Kontras) accused the government on Friday of being behind the
recent death of Papuan independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay,
saying that his murder was part of a plan to repress rising calls
for independence in the province.

"Our accusation is based on a document issued by the
directorate general of national integrity and public protection
at the Ministry of Home Affairs on June 9 last year.

"The document contains several points, including a list of
dozens of Papuan figures considered a threat to the central
government due to their stance. Theys was one of them," Kontras
coordinator Ori Rahman told a media conference.

"The document, known as the Matoa Document, was drafted in a
special coordinating meeting at the ministry on June 8, 2000,
which discussed several contingency plans to anticipate the
Papuan political situation should they keep demanding freedom,"
Ori said.

Also present at the meeting were officials from the former
state intelligence coordinating agency (Bakin), the Indonesian
Military (TNI)'s Strategic Intelligence Body, Army Headquarters,
National Police Headquarters, the Army Strategic Reserves Command
(Kostrad) and the Army's Special Force (Kopassus), Ori added.

Ori said that Jakarta-based Papuan figure Yorrys Raweyai and
M. Bonai from a local non-governmental organization (NGO) were
also included on the list.

Theys, chairman of the proindependence Papuan Presidium
Council (PDP), was found dead in his car on Nov. 11 at Muara
Tami, a district west of Jayapura, Irian Jaya, hours after
allegedly being kidnapped by a group of people on his way home to
Sentani.

Prior to his death, Theys attended a dinner at Kopassus
headquarters in Jayapura, in observance of National Heroes' Day.

When asked whether Willem Onde, the leader of the Papuan
Liberation Army (TPNP) who died in September, was also included
on the list, Ori said: "Yes, he was one of the targets too."

Onde and his assistant Juhanis Toming, was found shot to
death. Local security officers, however, did not make any
official reports regarding the deaths.