Papuans want masterminds of Theys' murder revealed
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.