Papuans reject Guterres plan to form pro-integration group
Papuans reject Guterres plan to form pro-integration group
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua
Former East Timorese militia leader Eurico Guterres plans to
establish a branch of his pro-integration Red and White Defender
Front (FPMP) in troubled Papua province, but local people have
opposed it.
"What does he want in Timika (Papua)? What's his goal to set
up an organization here? He may have another purpose. Such an
organization should not exist in Papua. Currently, we live in
peace," local resident Benny said.
Similar resistance came from Alosyus Renwarin, the acting
director of the Papua-based Elsham human rights group.
Speaking to reporters in the provincial capital of Jayapura on
Wednesday, he said the presence of the Red and White Defender
Front in Papua could spark new conflict in the troubled province.
"We already know about Eurico Guterres' track record in Timor
Leste (East Timor). He has been involved in gross human rights
violations there. Therefore, we strongly reject his presence in
Papua," Renwarin said.
Eurico was convicted by an ad hoc human rights court in
Jakarta for a rampage in East Timor when it voted for
independence from Indonesia in 1999.
The court sentenced him to 10 years in November 2002, but he
remains free as he appealed the verdict.
The sentence quickly sparked anger from Eurico, who
questioned the fairness of the human rights trial for failing to
punish military and police officers for their involvement in the
atrocities that marked the territory's breakaway from the
republic after 23 years of occupation.
Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Budi Utomo confirmed Eurico's
plan to open a branch of his organization, saying the former East
Timorese militia leader had submitted a request with the
provincial police for permission.
However, Utomo said he was yet to decide whether to endorse
the plan or not.
"I would not take a hasty decision on this matter as we are
studying the group's purpose here. If it is to support security,
it's no problem. But if its presence is to foment disturbances,
we will not issue a permit," he added.
Utomo said the plan would be discussed in a security meeting
with senior officials in Papua.
Eurico had issued a letter dated Sept. 16, 2003, ordering the
establishment of a FPMP branch office in Mimika regency.
Munawir Yacob, who was recently elected the FPMP secretary of
Mimika branch, said he has distributed 1,500 forms to Papuans
wanting to register to join his group.
He dismissed the reasons of those opposed to the presence of
his group in Papua, arguing the FPMP was a youth organization
like others in the province.
"Our goal is to strengthen the unity and cohesion youth in
maintaining the unitary state of Indonesia. I think other youth
organizations such as AMPI and KNPI have similar visions,"
Munawir said.
Separatist groups have long been campaigning for independence
in Papua, a resource-rich province where people complain about a
unfair share of their region's natural resource profits. Rampant
human rights abuses have also fueled separatism there.