Irianese ask Kontras to reveal human right abuses

JAKARTA (JP): Some 30 Irianese representing different groups visited on Monday the Commission for Missing Persons and Victim of Violence (Kontras), demanding the non-governmental organization help reveal human right abuses in the province.

The delegation from the eastern tip of Irian Jaya also asked Kontras to establish a fact-finding team and to bring witnesses of the violations to Jakarta so that they could deliver their testimonies.

"We demand Kontras, as a reputable organization in defending human rights, seriously handle the cases in Irian Jaya," head of the Irian Jaya Young Generation Communication Forum, Jhon Poli Menanti said.

Incidents the forum's spokesman referred to included the July 1998 incident in Biak and recent severe clashes with military troops in which Irianese students were shot.

The Biak incident was triggered by a wave of proindependence protests in early July 1998, which prompted the military to take tough action in the area, wounding dozens of locals.

The delegation comprised six different organizations, each representing communities in Irian Jaya.

Also pressing their case at Kontras were the Papua Human Rights Center, the Megawati Soekarnoputri Supporters Organization, the Youth Committee for Papuan People's Rights, the Irian Jaya Muslim Alliance and the Jakarta chapter of the Irian Jaya Students Union.

The Irianese said they were extremely disappointed with investigations into the case conducted by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnasham).

"We want Komnasham to publicly announce the results of its investigation," Menanti said.

The groups also threatened to occupy the Komnasham office if the commission failed to publicly announce results of their investigations within three days.

Speaking on behalf of Kontras, Legal Aid Institute member Irianto Subaktio told the delegation that Kontras had forwarded their findings on human rights abuses in Irian Jaya to the United Nations during the human rights conference held in Geneva in May 1998.

He also rejected an accusation by some of the protesters that Kontras discriminated against raising awareness of alleged human rights abuses in Irian Jaya, preferring to draw attention to victims in Aceh, Ambon and East Timor.

"Kontras is an antidiscrimination commission and we would never differentiate between cases," Irianto said. (03)