RI protests Irish parliament over Irian Jaya

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has delivered a strong protest to the Republic of Ireland over a resolution by the Irish Parliament questioning the adequacy of the 1969 act of free choice in Irian Jaya which united the territory with the rest of Indonesia.

In an April 19 letter to the Irish Parliament, the charge d'affaires at the Indonesian Embassy in London, Harsoyo Sudirman, said the resolution was "an unacceptable and wrong footed interference in the internal affairs of Indonesia."

Copies of the letter were distributed to the Indonesian press yesterday.

The Indonesian embassy in London is also accredited to the Republic of Ireland.

The Irish Parliament, known as the Dail, last month adopted a resolution on Irian Jaya which expressed deep concern that the 1969 "Act of Free Choice" was not a genuine expression of self- determination.

The 1969 plebiscite formally incorporated Irian Jaya as part of Indonesia, under the supervision of the United Nations. It was later endorsed by UN Resolution 2504 (XXIV) 1969.

Irian Jaya had until then been a part of the former Dutch East Indies that had not been decolonized.

The Dail's resolution expressed concern over the transplantation of Indonesian settlers from outside Irian Jaya into the province.

Dublin has had a history of being sympathetic towards various separatist movements in Indonesia.

In the letter, Harsoyo said the Irish parliament's deep concern about the 1969 Act on Irian Jaya was "simply beyond comprehension".

Harsoyo asked whether concern over the transplantation of settlers meant the Irish Parliament would like to declare the province totally off-limits to outsiders and bar Irians from interacting with their own people.

Regarding the issue of the Free Papua Movement (OPM), Harsoyo wondered whether the Irish Parliament had evidence that the separatist movement is more than a mere isolated band.

"Does the Irish Parliament intend to call into question the integrity of every state in the world where a separatist movement, no matter how small, exist?" the Indonesian charge d'affaires remarked in his letter of protest.

According to Harsoyo, the Irish Parliament was "seriously misled and misinformed" and does not realize the true situation in Indonesia. "We realize this may not be very transparent from half way around the world," he commented.

International attention towards Irian Jaya resurfaced this year when OPM guerrillas took several young scientists, including six foreigners, hostage. The OPM continue to hold them hostage.

In Jayapura on Thursday, the commander of the Trikora military command, Maj. Gen. Dunidja, said the military's persuasion approach had its limits.

He would not reveal if that limit had been reached.

Separately yesterday, the Trikora military command's information officer, Lt. Col. Maulud Hidayat, said the Armed Forces is asking Irian civilians to help seek the release of the hostages.

He said the Armed Forces continues to use persuasion to seek the release of the hostages, however contact with the kidnappers was lost last month.

"ABRI has decided to use the help of the community because the question of security is not solely ABRI's responsibility," Maulud reasoned. (mds)