Kopassus' compound in Jayapura examined

R.K. Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura

A military police fact-finding team has inspected the compound of the Army's elite force (Kopassus) which has been accused of being involved in the murder of pro-independence Papua Presidium Council (PDP) chairman Dortheys Hiyo Eluay in November.

The search, which lasted for two-and-a-half hours on Saturday morning, was conducted after 47 witnesses were summoned, 12 of whom were soldiers of the elite force.

The 25-member fact-finding team, led by Col. Hendardji, looked through the troops' dormitory and compound, located on Jl. Hamadi in the city, and at a hall where the gathering, to mark National Heroes' Day, which Theys attended on Nov. 10, was held.

"The field check is required to examine whether the witnesses' testimony correlates with the facts in the field," Col. Sutarno, chief of the military police at the Trikora Military Command, who supervises the Irian Jaya province, said during the field investigation.

The team also re-traced Theys' steps at the gathering, starting with his arrival with his driver, Aristoteles Masoka, to the point of their departure.

As part of the exercise, a team member re-constructed Theys' welcome by two Kopassus soldiers, who were also role-played by team members.

One important aspect of the fateful day which was not re- created by the team, however, was Theys' departure from the compound. The team did not establish whether there was anyone else in Theys' car along with him and his driver.

Sunarto referred the field check as a "reposition" rather than a reconstruction; he did not elaborate on this point.

Theys, whose body was discovered on Nov. 11 in his car in an area bordering Papua New Guinea, was believed to have been murdered after being abducted with his driver.

The two had left the Kopassus compound where they had attended the gathering, and were on their way to Theys' residence in Sentani, 40 kilometers north of the city.

Both local police and Army officials have confirmed that soldiers may have been involved in the killing.

A number of Papuan witnesses have also given testimony to the local police, saying that they had accompanied Aristoteles to the Kopassus compound after he was thrown from his car on the night Theys was abducted.

And several others saw Aristoteles, who is still missing, at the Kopassus' soldiers' barracks on that night.

The Indonesian Military sent the Military Police's fact- finding team to investigate the case after the police revealed indication of soldiers' involvement in the incident.

Theys' murder has sparked a strong protest from the Papuan people, the local elite, and their religious leaders who have called for an independent investigation, including representatives of international groups, into the case.

Theys, who was also former legislator of the Golkar Party at the provincial legislature, was respected as an influential tribal chief in the province.

The central government has established an investigating team that includes military and police officers, but has met opposition from Papuan religious leaders. Karl Lukas Degey, a Papuan representative in the team, has quit.

Sutarna, who accompanied the military police's team, said that the team has yet to draw a final conclusion, as their investigation is not complete. "The team has yet to identify who is behind the murder," he said.

Besides the 47 witnesses, the military's team also questioned Aristoteles' parents, along with his wife, last Friday.

Anton Raaharusun, who accompanied Aristoteles' parents during questioning, said that he was optimistic the team would succeed in identifying Theys' murderers.