Irianese living in fear, says rights commission
Irianese living in fear, says rights commission
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): Members of the National Commission
on Human Rights concluded from their visit here the Irianese
lived in fear.
Albert Hasibuan and Clementino Dos Reis Amaral said during a
meeting with community leaders, non-governmental organizations
and religious leaders on Thursday that fear of arrest and
intimidation caused Irianese to remain silent about the violence
they had suffered.
The official rights body announced last week an independent
team would be formed to look into alleged human rights abuses in
Irian Jaya, including the military shooting last year in Biak.
The incident occurred when security personnel opened fire on
a group of people who raised a proindependence West Papua Morning
Star flag.
Hasibuan said there were a number of witnesses to the
shooting, "but security personnel intimidated them" from speaking
out.
One witness, as quoted by a report from the Institute for
Human Rights Studies and Advocacy, was cited as saying he was
intimidated into lying about the incident.
"I was told to say a body was a victim of an earthquake in
Aitape, New Guinea. If I (told people) the body was a victim of
the attack, I was told I would be killed," he said.
Hasibuan appealed for an end to all intimidation in an effort
to overcome political problems in Irian Jaya.
Scholars and community leaders here have pointed to abuses
committed against Irianese as the reason behind the rising calls
for the province's separation from Indonesia.
Local scholar Agus Alua told the rights commission the
Irianese feared for their future. "Powerful people who are mostly
non-Papuans have grabbed people's ancestral lands" for mining and
forest concessions, he said, using the local term for Irianese.
"Papuans also fear being wiped out," Agus said, referring to
accounts of people being slaughtered "like animals".
A local priest, Hutapea, told the commission the slaughters
led him to conclude that Irianese were "cheaper than chickens".
Meanwhile, local military commander Maj. Gen. Amir Sembiring
said locals still respected and needed security personnel.
Hasibuan said in the meeting the best way to settle problems
in the province was to hold a dialog in which all parties "had
the chance to express their opinions, aspirations and
restlessness".
Separately in Sorong, the Malamoi tribe protested plans to
construct a palm plantation on what they said was their ancestral
land in Warsumsum valley.
Community leader Matias Asrima told The Jakarta Post the
company planning to build the plantation conducted a land survey
without the tribe's permission. (34)