Indonesia wants Mateas Wenda

Indonesia wants Mateas Wenda

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Irian Jaya Police chief Brig. Gen. Made
Mangku Pastika said here on Wednesday that Indonesia hoped that
the Papua New Guinea (PNG) government would return Mateas Wenda,
who was arrested by PNG police for illegally entering the
territory and establishing a force, to Indonesia for legal
processing.

"We will contact the PNG government through the Indonesian
Defense Attache in PNG and send detailed records of the crimes
Mateas committed in Irian Jaya," the newly-installed police chief
said in his first meeting with local journalists.

Mangku Pastika replaced Insp. Gen. F.X. Soemardi who was
killed in a Navy plane crash in Silimo, Wamena, on Jan. 8.

Mateas Wenda, not Mathias Wenda as earlier reported, along
with 12 of his men were arrested by the Sandaon provincial police
during a routine border patrol.

The Sandaon District Court has sentenced Mateas to six months
jail term for establishing rebel forces to topple the Indonesian
government and border crossing.

According to Indonesian authorities, the 50-year-old Mateas
was involved in the killing of five loggers in Wotung, Jayapura
in December of last year. He was also accused of masterminding
the abduction of two transmigrants in Arso district in 1996.
(35/sur)