Protests delay relocation of inmates

Protests delay relocation of inmates

JAYAPURA, Papua: The relocation of 13 inmates -- convicted of
involvement in the 2000 riot in Papua, in which at least 26
people were killed -- from their prison in Wamena town, to a
prison in East Java has been delayed due to security reasons.

Papua justice and human rights office head Aronggear confirmed
on Monday that the prisoners would not be moved until after
Christmas.

Should the 13 prisoners be relocated, the local people could
protest, risking the destabilization of Papua, he added.

"We will also give them a chance to celebrate Christmas with
their families," Aronggear said.

He said several lawyers from the Jayapura Legal Aid Institute,
the El-Sham human rights group and the Papua Presidium Council
(PDP) had met with him earlier to question why the planned
relocation was necessary.

Protests also came from the families of the prisoners and
local Church leader Socrates Sofyan Yoman, who feared for the
prisoner's safety if they were imprisoned outside Papua.

The 13 inmates were sentenced to between one and four years in
prison for their roles in the Oct. 6, 2000 incident that erupted
following the forcible removal of the Kejora (morning star) flag
by police and soldiers in Wamena, Jayawijaya regency.

The riot turned into an ethnic conflict, in which indigenous
Papuans attacked and killed migrants and destroyed their
belongings. --JP

C. Java's PKB recalls six councillors

SEMARANG: The National Awakening Party (PKB) has officially
recalled its six councillors in Central Java after they shifted
their allegiance to its splinter faction, the Democratic Glory
Party (PKD) led by defense minister Matori Abdul Djalil.

The decision to remove the six councillors was announced on
Monday by Abdul Kadir Karding, who chairs the PKB faction in the
Central Java legislative council.

"This morning, I was summoned by council speaker Pak Mardijo
in relation to PKB's request. The letter (recalling them) has
been signed by four council leaders and will soon be handed over
to the Central Java governor for approval," Karding said.

The councillors concerned are deputy council speaker Ircham
Abdurrachim, Hajjah Faizah Idris, Rochadi Soekardi, Chumaidy
Tamyiz, Ali Hannan Fatah and Syarifuddin Husen.

Karding could not say who would replace the six, as the issue
was being discussed by his party.

PKB split into two factions -- one led by Alwi Shihab and
another by Matori who later renamed his party the PKD in a bid to
contest the 2004 election.

However, the PKD was disqualified from contesting the 2004
elections, while Matori is being hospitalized in Singapore for a
stroke. --JP

Rector warns of fresh Poso unrest

PALU, Central Sulawesi: University of Tadulako rector
Sahabuddin Mustafa urged political parties and authorities on
Monday to hold only closed-door campaigns next year in Poso in
order to prevent fresh fighting in the violence-torn town.

Campaigns held in open fields involving crowds could trigger
renewed violence, he told a workshop for electoral supervisors in
the provincial capital of Palu.

Sahabuddin said similar campaigns through dialogs should also
be planned for the neighboring regency of Morowali, which like
Poso has suffered recent attacks by masked gunmen after the
December 2001 peace deal.

Responding to the rector's call, Central Sulawesi Police chief
Brig. Gen. Taufik Ridha said he was not worried about the
possibility of fresh violence in Poso and Morowali during
political campaigns ahead of the 2004 elections, as long as all
parties abided by the existing rules.

However, he said the police would deploy around 3,467
personnel to guard the upcoming elections. --JP