OPM and hostages may be in cohorts: ABRI
OPM and hostages may be in cohorts: ABRI
JAKARTA (JP): A senior Armed Forces (ABRI) official says he suspects that the hostages kidnapped by the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) in Irian Jaya are in cohorts with their captors.
ABRI Chief of General Affairs Lt. Gen. Soeyono said yesterday that "there are indications that there has been cooperation between the separatists and the hostages."
The indications include the fact that the hostages seem quite calm about the whole affair and some of those who have been released wish to return to their captors.
Twelve people -- four Britons, two Dutch and six Indonesians -- have been held hostage since Jan. 8. The rebels originally kidnapped 27, but 14, including a German researcher, have been released.
Soeyono said there was also an indication that a non- governmental organization (NGO) is involved in the kidnapping, and this week's riots in the copper town of Timika.
He would not say whether it was a foreign or local NGO.
The military is investigating the matter, he said. "I don't know if it is a real NGO or an organization using the name of an NGO. What is definite is that there is a particular group which is taking advantage of the situation, or even running things," Soeyono said, adding that ABRI has also picked up unidentified radio signals to confirm its suspicions.
Wide unrest broke out in Timika four days ago after a series of vandalism forced a temporary closure of the PT Freeport Indonesia's copper and gold mine in nearby Tembagapura.
Reports yesterday said Timika had resumed its daily activities. PT Freeport spokesman Edward Pressman has maintained that no Freeport personnel were seriously injured and damage to facilities consisted mainly of broken windows.
Soeyono said the army through its Rapid Strike Reaction Force acted quickly in quelling the riots in Timika.
There is now a force equivalent to the size of eight companies of the Army Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) in the area.
He said while at present the identity of these groups suspected of being involved in the unrest are unknown, ABRI already has strong suspicions on who they might be.
"Yes, we will summon them and ask them about the signals. The fact of the matter is there are these transmissions or radio signals which carry messages," he said without elaborating on the contents.
Meanwhile in a joint statement, four NGOs concerned with human rights and the environment -- Walhi, ELSAM, INFID and LPPS -- said the incident in Timika was a manifestation of deepseated animosity and antagonism between PT Freeport and the local people.
"Unrest is easily ignited when people repress innate anger and dissatisfaction over what is being done to them," they said.
They said rather than indulging in accusations or allegations of who instigated the riot, the authorities should resolve the fundamental dissatisfaction of the people concerning the presence of PT Freeport in the area.
Separately Bambang Suharto, a member of the National Commission on Human Rights, told The Jakarta Post that he and two fellow members will depart for Timika to investigate the unrest.
The team, including Marzuki Darusman, and Asmara Nababan, are scheduled to leave some time next week. This will be the commission's fourth visit to Timika.
Bambang said one of the aims of the visit is to investigate the validity of claims from various NGOs that there were casualties during the unrest. (17/imn/mds)