PDP secretary-general Thaha receives assassination threats

R.K. Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura

Following the death of Dortheys Hiyo Eluway, chairman of the pro- independence Papuan Presidium Council (PDP), another PDP executive, Thaha Al-Hamid has received an assassination threat.

"I received a death threat twice once through my cellular phone and once at my home number," he told The Jakarta Post here on Sunday.

He said he did not know who or which group has telephoned him, "but it was a man and his accent was Papuan."

"After Theys, now it is your turn. I will kill you," Thaha quoted the man as saying over the phone.

He said the first threat was made on Nov. 28 while the second was on Sunday.

The last threat was made just a day after the celebration of Papua's 40th anniversary on Saturday.

During the ceremony held at the residence of the late Dortheys Hiyo Eluway in Sentani, 42 kilometers north of the city, Thaha condemned the human rights abuses in the province and pledged to fight for Papua's independence even at the cost of his life. He also called for an independent investigation involving foreign experts into the murder of Theys.

He said he would take precautions for his own safety because of the threat, but that it would not prevent him or other PDP members from pursuing the Papuan people's struggle.

"We have pledged to the Papuan people over Theys' body that we will continue to fight for PDP's political struggle and the people's aspirations. We will not back down one centimeter from our struggle even if it means losing our lives," said Thaha.

Besides Thaha, Peter Ell, chairman of the local chapter of the National Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), also received a similar threat probably due to his recent statement to the press that six persons saw Aristoteles Masako, Theys' driver, hours after Theys was abducted on Nov. 10, 2001.

"The six witnesses came to my office and reported on Theys' driver," he said, adding he had brought the six witnesses to the provincial police to give a statement about the abduction.

The investigation into Theys' murder is still in progress.

Aristoteles has been at large following Theys' abduction and the finding of his body on Nov. 11, 2001. His account of the abduction will be vital to the case.