Irianese ask Kontras to reveal human right abuses

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)