Police arrest Papua task force chief

Police arrest Papua task force chief

JAKARTA (JP): Tension gripped Jayapura, Irian Jaya on
Wednesday following the overnight arrest of 29-year-old Alex
Baransano, chief of Jayapura's proindependence Papua taskforce
after he was declared a suspect in an extortion case.

"Alex Baransano is being detained at Jayapura Police Precinct
after we found sufficient evidence of him extorting money from
locals and vendors near the Art Center building on Jl. Irian,"
provincial Police Operational and Control Unit chief Sr. Supt. M.
Kusnadi told The Jakarta Post by telephone from Jayapura.

"We received reports and complaints that civilian guards have
threatened and extorted money since they themselves had no money
to support their activities," the officer said.

Alex Baransano often forcibly collected Rp 10,000 per vendor
or from locals living near the art building, he claimed.

Baransano is being charged under Article 368 for extortion,
which carries a maximum sentence of nine years.

The Art Center has been commandeered by the taskforce who have
hoisted the Morning Star separatist flag there.

Provincial authorities want the old building to function again
as a government-owned cultural art center.

But proindependence leaders, however, claim that the cultural
center belongs to the people as it was at this venue that the
supposed declaration of independence was made in 1961.

Following the arrest the situation in Jayapura reportedly
remained tense as market and business activities temporarily
halted on Wednesday.

Hundreds of taskforce members protested the arrest in front of
the Jayapura Police Precinct on Tuesday night, demanding
Baransano's release.

The protest intensified until midday Wednesday and almost
broke into a clash before the chairman of the Papuan Council
Presidium (PDP) Theys Hiyo Eluay showed up at the precinct asking
about Baransano's status.

Theys reportedly asked the civilian guards to go back to their
base at the Art Center building, which is only about 200 meters
from the precinct.

The military and the police have intensified security ahead of
Dec. 1, the date the Presidium have claimed that they would
officially declare Papua independence. (edt)