NGOs, church leaders want teams on Theys disbanded

NGOs, church leaders want teams on Theys disbanded

R.K. Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura

Two government teams investigating the mysterious death of Papuan
independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay should be disbanded, non-
governmental organizations and church groups demanded on Monday.

On Feb. 5, President Megawati Soekarnoputri approved a team
that included an army general, a National Police chief detective,
government officials and four Papuan figures.

The 11-member National Investigation Commission (KPN) is led
by Koesparmono Irsan, a retired police general and current member
of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).

The Indonesian Military (TNI) is also investigating. Its team
is led by Military Police chief Maj. Gen. Djasri Marin, who is
also a member of the KPN.

At least three Papuan-based non-government organizations --
the Institute of Human Rights Study and Advocacy (Ell-Sham), the
Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras)
and the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) -- have opposed the two teams
and demanded the government disband them.

Opposition also came from leaders of several churches in the
troubled Papua province, known also as Irian Jaya.

They called for an independent team comprising credible
individuals, forensic experts, legal and human rights activists
and United Nations' officials.

They doubted the trustworthiness of the government teams,
including the four Papuan figures.

"Apart from a lack of credibility, the establishment of the
teams are not legal," Ell-Sham Executive Director Johanes Bonay,
a spokesman for the protesting NGOs and church leaders, told a
press conference.

He said the establishment of the teams breached Law No.
39/1999 on human rights, under which only Komnas Ham had the
authority to investigate human rights cases, including Theys'
murder.

"It is therefore very clear that both teams have no right to
conduct an investigation," Bonay added.

LBH Director of Papua branch Demianus Wakman said the teams
were part of a government move to ensure that the murder of Theys
was classed as a "common crime", not one against humanity.

"It has been clearly seen in Presidential Decree No. 10/2002
on KPN that the death of Theys Hiyo Eluay was a common crime," he
said.

Viston Sinaga of Kontras said the suspected murder involved
systematic violence against Papuans.

Benny Giay, a local church leader, said experts involved in
the teams were "not representative" and that the Indonesian
Christian Church (GKI) rejected their establishment.

He said GKI Chairman Herman Saut had written to President
Megawati on Friday, rejecting the involvement of Karel Theeil
Erari in the KPN as a representative of the church.

Another three Papuans included in the team are Jhon Ibo, Simon
Patrice Morin and Lukas Karl Degey.

Theys, a charismatic Papuan leader from the separatist Papua
Presidium Council (PDP), was found dead in his car in an area
bordering Papua New Guinea on Nov. 11, 2001, a day after he was
reportedly kidnapped by unidentified assailants.

The abduction took place only a quarter of an hour after he
and his driver Aristoteles Masoka returned from attending Heroes
Day celebrations at the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) compound
in Hammadi.

Local religious leaders and Papuan activists said members of
Kopassus may have played a role in the killing.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono
Sutarto have admitted the possible involvement of military
personnel in the murder.