Gunmen block release of bodies in Papua

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura

A group of suspected Papuan separatists remained in control of a hamlet in Puncak Jaya on Friday, as efforts to negotiate the release of bodies of five migrants killed in a Tuesday attack failed and fears rose of further bloodshed.

A group of gunmen on Friday prohibited two priests and five other negotiators from entering Tinggi Nambut and removing the bodies of the five victims (not six as reported on Thursday).

"Our seven messengers tried to negotiate in order to evacuate the victims, but were blocked by four armed men before arriving at the hamlet," Paniai deputy chief Comr. Wempy Batlayeri told The Jakarta Post.

"They have returned to (regency capital) Mulia," Wempy said.

A newly created regency in Papua, Puncak Jaya, does not yet have a district police station.

The Puncak Jaya administration said it was still attempting to negotiate with the armed group to evacuate the bodies from the location. "So far, we are still making persuasive overtures," Wempy said.

Efforts to remove the bodies from Tinggi Nambut began on Wednesday but security forces were unable to enter the hamlet.

The armed group earlier destroyed five bridges linking roads to the hamlet and felled trees over roads to the area. They were also reported to have set fire to buildings.

Papua Governor Jaap Solossa has called for security forces to take decisive action against the unknown number of gunmen, who authorities believe are members of the separatist Free Papua Organization (OPM), in order to prevent disorder from spreading to other areas.

Ten police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officers were being sent on Friday to Mulia from the neighboring Enarotali region to help more than 100 police and military personnel already deployed in the area.

Papua Police have ordered their Mimika district office to dispatch dozens of officers to Mulia, while the Jayawijaya Police were asked to remain on standby.

Despite the latest killings, Salossa said Papua should not be considered unsafe as the violence had taken place in a remote area.

Salossa said since the special autonomy law for Papua was implemented in 2002, the province's economy had improved and locals were not easily provoked by sporadic attacks blamed on OPM members.

Tuesday's ambush was launched at about 11 p.m. when five hard- top jeeps were stopped by the armed assailants who then shot dead all of their drivers; migrants mostly from Makassar, South Sulawesi.

Col. W.P. Simanjuntak, deputy chief of the intelligence division of Trikora Military Command, overseeing Papua, said on Thursday the cars were carrying construction workers to Mulia from the Ilu district.

The remaining workers, Papuan residents, had been contracted to build a road in Ilu. They escaped the ambush and fled to Mulia, where they reported the attack to soldiers.

The incident was the third attack in Tinggi Nambut allegedly by Papuan rebels during the past three months. The first violence erupted on Aug. 17, 2004 when two rebels injured two soldiers on patrol.

On Sept. 14, soldiers exchanged gunfire with OPM members, injuring one rebel and one soldier.