Police make headway in unravelling Theys murder case
Police make headway in unravelling Theys murder case
RK Nugroho
The Jakarta Post
Jayapura
Irian Jaya Police claim to have made some headway in their
one-week investigation into the mysterious death of local
separatist leader Theys Hiyo Eluay.
Irian Jaya Police chief Insp. Gen. Made Mangku Pastika said in
the provincial capital of Jayapura last weekend that the murder
of the pro-independence Papuan Presidium Council (PDP) chairman
had been well planned in order to encumber efforts made to
identify the culprit.
"We have questioned around 100 witnesses and initial
indications may hold some clues to the killing, but we still need
more evidence and we hope for the understanding and assistance of
the Papuan community and the victim's family members," he told
PDP members.
Pastika said he did not object to suggestions for the
establishment of an independent team to investigate the killing,
as long as the proposed team was designed to help police in the
investigation instead of further obscure the case.
Theys was found dead in his car on Nov. 11, a day after
failing to returning home from a dinner at the local Army's
Special Force (Kopassus) headquarters. He was buried in Sentani
on Saturday in a funeral crowded by large numbers of Papuans and
his supporters.
The funeral procession took place peacefully amid apprehension
over threats of rioting, mass killings and bombing that might
lead to a forced proclamation of independence by the PDP.
Rev. Herman Awom, who led the funeral, said he was convinced
that Theys' driver, Aristoteles Masoka, was still alive though
his whereabouts remained unknown.
He hoped that security personnel could soon find Aristoteles
so that he could provide information crucial in the quest to
expose the mastermind behind the assassination.
Meanwhile, at a meeting on Saturday PDP agreed to suspend the
election of a new council chairman to replace Theys until the
murder case was solved.
Presidium member Marthinus Werimon told The Jakarta Post that
the session had also discussed the protection of Papuan people,
the call for a referendum made by council vice chairman Thom
Beanal, and UN security intervention in Papua, the local name for
Irian Jaya.
"A special team has been set up to deal with the referendum
and its tentative implementation on December 1, with seven
members from the panels. It's working on the plan and nothing can
be announced yet," Werimon said.
Mangku Pastika said no action was yet needed in response to
the demands currently being made by some parties in the region
for a PDP-led referendum on Dec. 1, 2001.
He said the police could not take action against those voicing
demands for a referendum because the act of calling for such a
move is not considered a crime.
"Only when they realize their plan will the police, as a law
enforcer, act according to legitimate procedures, as the move
could then be considered treason," he added.