Police seize 105 arms in Papua raids

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua

Indonesian security forces are claiming initial success on the front lines of its second war against separatists in Indonesia, Papua, but warn the worst it yet to come.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police launched operations against separatist groups in the resource-rich province after the poorly armed Free Papua Movement (OPM) were accused of raiding an arsenal belonging to the TNI on April 5.

Papua Police Sr. Comr. Daud Sihombing said the operations were the first part of what would be a prolonged government campaign to crush the separatists, after it had dealt with separatists in Aceh.

He called on the OPM rebels to lay down their arms and for others to give up their political campaigns before the planned military offensive.

Daud said police had so far confiscated 105 guns, more than 440 rounds of ammunition and four hand grenades from alleged rebels since it launched its operation on July 7.

A large number of traditional weapons such as arrows, spears and machetes had also been confiscated from alleged separatists, he said.

He was not asked about the fate of those arrested.

Daud warned that the full attention of the TNI and police would soon focus on Papua.

He said the ongoing operation was to improve the rebel's, political campaigner's and the general population's awareness that Indonesia was a unitary state.

He said the preliminary operation was persuasive in its nature "because we want rebels to lay down their arms and come back to their home villages to develop their futures and the province and accept Indonesia's sovereignty over the province."

Daud conceded that a number of separatists had surrendered and were in police custody. He declined to identify them "for their safety".

He said the government would grant amnesty to rebels and civilians who voluntarily gave up their arms and returned home from their hiding places in the dense jungles in the province.

"We will give amnesty to those who voluntarily give up their arms and they will not be brought to justice because the operation is aimed at improving their nationalism and patriotism," he said.

"We hope in the next three weeks that more and more rebels and supporters of the separatist movement will surrender and return to their daily activities to develop their futures."

The TNI have also launched an operation in Papua.

Dozens of people, including civilians, have been killed during the operation, which has involved soldiers from the Army's elite Special Forces (Kopassus) and Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad).

Most of the arms and ammunition stolen from the Army has already been recovered. However, the Army itself has been implicated of involvement in the raid.

Religious leaders and human rights organizations have demanded an independent investigation into alleged human rights abuses that continue to take place during the operation.

The military leadership has again warned Papuan political movements against lobbying the international community for support in their fight for independence.

The military is believed to be behind the government's policy to split Papua into three provinces in an attempt to weaken the separatist movement.

The move has been met with opposition from parts of the Papuan people and religious leaders, who say the government should focus on implementing special autonomy to win the hearts of the people.

Special autonomy would allow Papuans to a greater share of their resources and more say in handling their day-to-day affairs.

Papua governor Jaap Salossa and Papuan religious leaders were in Jakarta over the weekend to ask the government to delay the planned military offensive and to disburse the special autonomy funds worth Rp 1.3 trillion (US$15.8 million) to finance development projects in the 2003 fiscal year.