One Papuan killed, fears of election disruptions loom

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua

An official of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) was killed in a firefight between Army personnel and a group of rebels in Sarmi regency, highlighting fears that the elections could be delayed or even fail to take place in the country's easternmost province.

Lt. Col. Leo Wresman, an assistant to the OPM's military wing on personnel affairs, was shot dead when he and his group were involved in an exchange of fire with 20 soldiers from the Army company Rajawali 753 in Kamenawari Village, some 40 kilometer west of the town of Sarmi on Friday evening.

Sarmi military district chief Col. Agus Mulyadi said in Jayapura over the weekend that the gunfire occurred when the soldiers led by Second Lt. Napoleon Tampubolon launched a sweeping operation in the village where the rebel group reportedly were making preparations to disrupt the elections in the regency.

OPM's military wing in the region is led by Alex Makobory who was not found in the village when the operation was carried out, he added.

"Leo died instantly, two women and three children were arrested and five rebels escaped. The women will undergo an interrogation to gain more information on separatist activities in the remote regency," he said.

Agus said further that the soldiers also seized four rifles, six arrows, three axes, seven machetes, documents, Morning Star flags and office equipment such as ink, papers, stamps and a typewriter.

"The soldiers are still pursuing the five rebels and the military district will coordinate with the local police and villagers to seek information on their whereabouts," he said.

Leo is wanted for his alleged involvement in the killing of four Army elite soldiers in Takar in 2001.

Agus said the military has enhanced security in the regency in anticipation of security disturbances that could disrupt the upcoming elections in the province.

"According to the seized documents, the rebel group has plans to attack polling stations in the regency during the legislative election scheduled for April 5," he said.

"We will work hard to thwart these efforts before they launch their attack. The general election must proceed successfully," he said.

Coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) in Papua Piet Ell said he was not surprised to hear of the incident because the local military chief had given a preliminary warning that there may be security threats.

Maj. Gen. Nurdin Zainal, chief of the Trikora Military Command overseeing Papua and West Irian Jaya, has warned of increasing separatist activities aimed at disrupting the elections, saying the local military has received threats from OPM leaders in the province that they were preparing to sabotage the elections.

Papua Governor JP Solossa has also hinted of a delay of several days in the legislative election in the province because a larger part of election logistical materials had not yet reached the remote regencies and subdistricts in the province.

The governor said it was not easy to organize elections in the large province because of the lack of road access and transportation facilities. Regencies could be reached only by aircraft and flights were frequently canceled due to erratic weather patterns in the province.

Chairman of the local chapter of the General Elections Commission (KPU) Ferry Kareth said besides the lingering fears of security disturbances, transportation and communication problems were also an obstacle in the elections.