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.