Irianese urge police to stop violence

JAKARTA (JP): A group of Irianese held a protest in front of the National Police Headquarters on Thursday, demanding an end to violence by security personnel in their home province.

They also demanded that National Police chief Gen. Roesmanhadi replace Irian Jaya Police chief Brig. Gen. Hotma Siagian, who they accused of being responsible for abuses of police power leading to rights violations.

Representatives of the Organization of West Papua People in Greater Jakarta were received by National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar M. Sianipar.

Wearing white headbands and white T-shirts reading "West Papua never dies", the group earlier went to the House of Representatives to convey their protests.

West Papua refers to Irian Jaya, the official name for the province that is not recognized by Irianese striving for a separate country.

The protesters referred to an incident in Sorong, Irian Jaya, on July 5, in which a motorcycle taxi driver, Bani, was killed. A student was also severely injured, according to the group.

Four student activists and another 44 people -- all members of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) -- were arrested and are still in police detention, they said.

The group proposed that Col. Ayub Sawaki, a police officer said to be the best native recruit, replace Hotma.

"I know many Irianese who have entered the police academy but none of them have managed to be high-rank officers, not even a general. Give us the chance, bapak (father), to have our brother as a leader in our own home," group representative Henky Yokhu told Togar, the police spokesman.

"Police used to be respected in Irian but lately they have acted like the military. Shooting Irianese to settle everything, as if bullets are cheap. Don't they know that bullets are also bought with our money?"

Togar said that the police force had been separated from the military but that it was still on its way to independence.

It is not easy to change the military culture and code of conduct among the police, who all had military training, he said.

Togar said he would contact Brig. Gen. Hotma for confirmation of the allegations, and promised to convey their demands to the National Police chief.(emf)