NGOs call on UN to probe Freeport ambush

NGOs call on UN to probe Freeport ambush

Tiarma Siboro and
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta

A coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) urged the
United Nations on Monday to send a rapporteur to investigate the
Freeport ambush that killed two Americans and one Indonesian,
while it deplored statements implying that the Free Papua
Movement (OPM) was behind the fatal shooting.

The Jakarta-based National Solidarity for Papua said in a news
conference here on Monday that until an investigation was
launched, all parties, including the military, could be named as
the suspected attackers.

"There are many conflicts in Papua, including those between
the locals and companies operating in their own backyards. But
they are often shifted into separatist conflicts, which creates
the opinion that Papuans are dangerous," said Ferdinand Tetro
Nasira of the Papuan Forum for Human Rights and Reconciliation
(Forhamrep).

The NGOs, however, failed to spell out reasons behind their
call for UN intervention in the incident.

On Aug. 31, about 15 gunmen, whose identities and whereabouts
remain unknown, attacked two buses carrying teachers from the
Tembaga Pura International school inside the operation zone of
the American-owned Freeport copper and gold mine, which is
tightly guarded by about 1,000 military and police officers.

A preliminary investigation run by the police and the Papuan
Institute for Legal and Human Rights Advocacy (Elsham Papua)
revealed that the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) were at the
crime scene when the shooting took place.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) has denied the finding and
accused OPM of being behind the attack.

Papua Police have questioned 21 military personnel and one
civilian as witnesses, but no suspects have been found.

Besides the police, the Trikora Military command also sent a
team of investigators as well as a team of security officials
from the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, one of whom was an FBI agent
based in Australia.

Police Military commander Maj. Gen. Sulaiman A.B. said in
Jakarta on Monday that there was no indication yet to suggest the
military's involvement in the case.

The National Solidarity for Papua revealed that in their
meeting with U.S. Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce over the weekend that
they were told about "the existence of local problems, which
should be handled by the central government".

Damianus Wakman, the coordinator of the Papua Legal Aid
Institute (LBH Papua), deplored the statement, which, according
to him, failed to elaborate on the findings and ignored the fact
that Papuans be given a bigger role in bringing peace back to
Papua.

"The U.S. government has to review Freeport's operations as it
hires military personnel to secure the area and it needs to urge
the company to cooperate with the investigation.

"Freeport and TNI also have to explain the presence of the
military in the operational area, especially concerning the fact
that it was stipulated in the work contract, the number of
officers on the force and also the budget used to hire the
military," Damianus said.