Papuan rebels attack military post, two killed

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Fierce attacks by members of an Irian Jaya rebel group on the military post at the transmigration site in the district of Bonggo, forced 46 transmigrant families, comprising more than 200 people, to leave the site.

A transmigrant said on Monday that the people would not return to the site until "the situation is totally under control."

The transmigrant families are now at the health center and community hall of the neighboring villager of Armopah.

Around 100 armed members of the Papuan Liberation Army (TPNP) raided the post of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) Infantry Battalion 511 in Bonggo, some 400 kilometers west of Jayapura, on Sunday morning.

Two rebels were killed in a three-hour shootout between the Army and rebels.

Sutrisno, a transmigrant hailing from Java, said that he had been traumatized by the attack. The residents' fears escalated when two people, Nunuk, 35, and Agus, 41, were taken hostage by the rebels.

Nunuk, a teacher, and Agus, who made their escape from the rebels' camp hours after being taken hostages on Sunday, said the rebels intended to release them after the bodies of their comrades had been released by the Army.

"The dead bodies were handed over by the Army, but we were not released. We slipped away when they were busying themselves with the two dead bodies," Nunuk said.

"They threatened to kill all transmigrants if the Army personnel remained in the area," she added.

In anticipation of a deteriorating situation, a group of 28 troopers was deployed to the area of the incident.

"The troopers are snipers and well-trained personnel from Infantry Battalion 751 and the police Mobile Brigade," Trikora Military Command chief Maj. Gen. Mahidin Simbolon said on Monday.

"They have been instructed to hunt down the armed separatist group members," he said.

He told his men in Irian Jaya to keep vigilant. "Remember that before the end of this year the UN will discuss conflict areas in the world. The rebels may make a move any time just to show the world that they exist."

According to Mahidin, some 150 soldiers will later be deployed to protect the transmigrants. "But the deployment will be gradual."

Army sources said that Bonggo was the main base of the rebels, with at least 1,000 well-trained TPNP personnel.

"The Bonggo base has been supplying (rebels) personnel to other areas in the province," the source said. "But they lack weapons. They own a small number of handmade rifles." (35/02/sur)