Koteka group decries leader's arrest

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Hundreds of members of the Koteka organization held a peaceful demonstration at the local council in Jayapura on Monday demanding an explanation of the arrest of their leader, Benny Wanda, for the alleged possession of explosions believed to belong to the military-wing of the rebel Free Papua Movement (OPM).

Waving banners and distributing hundreds of pamphlets, the Koteka (penis gourd) members, from several regencies in Irian Jaya, rode on five trucks demanding that councillors seek clarification from the police on the detention, Antara reported.

Paskalis Kossay, a councillor sitting on Commission A on Administration Affairs, asked the demonstrators to remain calm until they obtained an explanation from Irian Jaya Police chief Insp. Gen. Made Mangku Pastika.

"He promised to meet us here to explain all the reasons behind the story. So, please be patient," Paskalis told the supporters in front of the local council building.

Benny was arrested by police on Saturday at his residence in Angkasapura, in the capital city of Jayapura, after police supposedly found explosives and confidential documents belonging to the National Liberation Army (TPN), the OPM's military wing.

Nevertheless, Benny's supporters asked the police to abide by the presumption of innocence principle before punishing Benny.

The security situation in the troubled province of Irian Jaya has recently been shaken by arson at the grave of Theys Hiyo Eluay, chairman of the Papuan Presidium Council (PDP), last Friday by an unidentified group.

It remains unclear whether the arson was committed by people planning to trigger riots in the region, or to express disappointment over the government's reluctance to investigating the killing of Theys, who was found dead last year after being abducted by people suspected of belonging to the Indonesian Military (TNI).

Papuan local figures and religious leaders have earlier demanded the government withdraw its non-Papuan troops from the region in an effort to turn it into a "peaceful-zone".

The Army, nevertheless, has rejected the suggestion, saying: "A separatist movement does exist in Papua. They are also an armed group and against our legitimate government."