Kontras wants consistency on Papua

Kontras wants consistency on Papua

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The National Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of
Violence (Kontras) continued to demand on Wednesday that the
government be responsible for several policies it has imposed on
the troubled Irian Jaya province, in line with its document
issued on June 9, 2000.

"Even though Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said that
the government had not followed up on the guidelines contained
within the document, called the Matoa Document, it (the
statement) contradicts the actual situation," Munir, Kontras'
chairman of the supervising council told a media conference,
referring to the many operations taking place there that have
taken the life of civilians.

"Hari's argument that the government had not carried out
operations there for financial reasons was unacceptable, as
intelligence operations go on. Who funds them anyway?" Munir
asked.

As reported earlier, Kontras accused the government of being
behind the recent death of Papuan independence leader Theys Hiyo
Eluay, saying that the murder was part of a plan to repress
rising calls for independence in the province.

The accusation was based on its discovery of a document issued
by the directorate general of national integrity and public
protection at the Ministry of Home Affairs on June 9 last year.

Following Kontras' accusation, Hari admitted that several
officials, including military officers, held a special
coordinating meeting at the ministry. The meeting was led by
incumbent National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) chairman
Ermaya Suradinata.

In the meeting operational guidelines were established,
targeting proindependence activists and others considered a
threat to the central government due to their stance on
independence.

However, he asserted, "the document had nothing to do with
Theys' death as the government didn't follow it up due to lack of
funds."

Responding to Hari's statement, Munir said that the government
had been inconsistent in clarifying the issue. He pointed to a
statement made by Coordinating Minister for Political and
Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who had earlier denied
the presence of the document.

The denial, however, was later corrected by Ermaya himself,
who admitted that he had signed the document, which "did not
specifically reveal any names of groups or individuals considered
a threat to central government".

"Which of the statements made by the three state officials is
correct?," Munir asked.