'Kopassus members may have had a role in Theys murder'

Yogita Tahil Ramani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Certain members of the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) may have played a role in the murder of Papuan pro-independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay, the Irian Jaya Police chief said on Tuesday.

"There are indications that some Kopassus members had a hand in the murder," Insp. Gen. I. Made Mangku Pastika told reporters at the National Police Headquarters in Jakarta.

He said police had questioned over 100 witnesses and "their testimonies point toward the involvement of several Kopassus members."

"But we cannot declare them suspects now, since there is not enough evidence as yet... my detectives are still looking for more supporting evidence against the Kopassus members."

Made, who was at the headquarters attending the installation ceremony of new North Maluku Police Chief Brig. Gen. Sunarko, added that detectives from the National Police Headquarters were also "lending a hand" in the murder investigation.

He also offered 24-hour police protection for anyone willing to present solid evidence of Kopassus members' involvement in the killing.

Made's statement came as many Papuans (Irian Jaya people) have run out of patience with the slow pace of the investigation into the murder of Theys, who is believed to have been killed for political reasons.

After questioning at least seven Kopassus members over the killing, police had earlier said they had come to "a dead-end" in their inquiries. Made's statement on Tuesday therefore came as a sign of clear headway in the investigations.

Theys was found dead in his car on Nov. 11 last year, a day after he was abducted by an unidentified group on his way home to Sentani, around 40 kilometers outside of the provincial capital of Jayapura, after attending a Heroes Day celebration hosted by the local Kopassus unit near Jayapura. Autopsy reports showed that he died from suffocation.

Theys' driver, Aristoteles Masoka, who escaped and reported the abduction, has since disappeared.

"Whether police will finally get hold of this Aristoteles or not for questioning, it does not mean that the case will be unsolvable. We have witnesses and other evidentiary material which supports our case," Made told reporters.

Papua Governor Yacobus Jaap Salossa said earlier this month that "all the data points to the involvement of Kopassus" in They's murder but there was no conclusive evidence.

The Irian Jaya Trikora Military Commander Maj. Gen. Mahidin Simbolon stressed on Tuesday that there were no orders from either him or the Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief to carry out the murder of Theys.

Mahidin said that if Irian Jaya Police had evidence that members of the TNI were involved in the murder, police needed to hand over the dossiers of the investigation to the Military Police and let them take over, since it involves soldiers.

A low-level armed struggle for independence began after the Dutch ceded control of the territory to Indonesia in 1963.

The province formerly known as Irian Jaya was renamed Papua this month under an autonomy law designed to ease demand for independence among Papuans.

Window: Chief of Irian Jaya Kopassus Unit (Tribuana VIII Task Force) Lt. Col. Hartomo has once said that his troop felt slandered by rumors that Kopassus was behind They's death. He said there was no reason for Kopassus and the military to kidnap or killed Theys and promised to help police investigate Theys' death.