Papuans want masterminds of Theys' murder revealed

R.K. Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura

Thousands of Papuans flocked to the grave of murdered pro- independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay on Wednesday to step up the pressure on the central government to reveal who gave the order to kill him.

Six low- and mid-ranking military officers have been named as suspects in Theys' murder last year. All are members of the Tribuana X Task Force belonging to Papua's Trikora Regional Military Command.

The government-established National Investigation Commission (KPN), which announced the suspects, failed however to reveal the motive behind the killing.

Speaking to a crowd of around 2,000 people attending Wednesday's rally, secretary-general of the separatist Papua Presidium Council (PDP) Muhammad Thaha Al Hamid said the six charged officers merely did the donkey work based on orders from their superiors.

"It is impossible that the six Kopassus officers made the decision to kill Theys themselves. They are a well-trained elite unit," he said.

The big question was who masterminded the murder of Theys, who before his death was the leader of the pro-independence PDP, Thaha said.

"The most important thing for Papuans is that President Megawati Soekarnoputri must reveal the names of those who ordered the execution," he said.

Theys was found dead in his car on Nov. 11, 2001, one day after having been abducted on his way home from attending a National Heroes' Day commemoration hosted by the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) in the Papua capital of Jayapura.

Theys' driver Aristotelis Masoka, who was with Theys at the time he disappeared, is still missing.

During Wednesday's protest, which coincided with World Labor Day, or May Day as it is also known, the PDP followers declared May 1 independence and human rights day for Papuans.

May 1, 1963, was the day on which West Papua was integrated into Indonesia with the approval of the United Nations.

The ralliers held a ritual ceremony led by Sentani tribal leader Philipus Suebo to mark the erection of a seven-meter-high memorial over Theys' grave, which read 'Customary Authority, Papuan Freedom and Human Rights Memorial Park'.

The procession, which started with a prayer service, also served to mark the inauguration of Suebo as the new Sentani tribal leader, replacing Theys.

The rally ended peacefully amid tight security from local police.

Similar processions were reportedly held simultaneously in at least 14 regencies across the troubled province.