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.