Search goes on for Theys' missing driver

Search goes on for Theys' missing driver

R.K. Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura

Aristoteles Masako, who witnessed the kidnapping of his former
employer, Papuan independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluway, is still
missing. Police in Irian Jaya have been unable to locate the
former driver of Theys, who disappeared on the night of the
alleged kidnapping.

Local police admitted that they had been unable to locate
Aristoteles soon after a police team returned from Papua New
Guinea on Thursday. Police had conducted a search for him in the
border area between the two countries.

In less than a month, Irian Jaya Provincial Police chief Insp.
Gen. I Made Mangku Pastika made two contradictory statements
about the police investigation into the case.

A few days after Theys' funeral, Pastika said the police had
made headway in unraveling the story behind Theys' murder after a
number of witnesses were questioned. On Thursday, however,
Pastika indicated that the police were experiencing difficulties
in the investigation.

"The police will continue to work hard to investigate the case
and search for Aristoteles until either he is found or his body
recovered," he said when hosting a gathering to break the fast at
his official residence here on Thursday.

Theys was found dead in his Kijang van in Koya Tengah, Muara
Tami subdistrict near the border of Irian Jaya and Papua New
Guinea on Nov. 11, 2001. On the evening of Nov. 10, Aristoteles
drove Theys home after attending a celebration of Heroes' Day at
the Army's Special Force headquarters in Jayapura.

From the Entrop area in the town where the abduction occurred,
Aristoteles made contact with Theys' wife Yaneke Ohee by cellular
phone to inform her about the abduction, after which he made no
further contact and disappeared.

The Papuan Presidium Council (PDP) and the provincial
legislature have urged an independent and thorough investigation
into the case with the involvement of foreign parties.

Pastika asserted that the testimony of witnesses was
insufficient to solve the case and that the forensic report,
expert' opinion as well as the suspected abductors were all
critical to the investigation.

He also said recently that the police could not, according to
the law, interrogate any servicemen allegedly involved in the
case.

Meanwhile, Bambang Soeharto and Koesparmono Irsan, members of
the National Commission on Human Rights, have returned to Jakarta
after conducting a preliminary investigation into the case.

During their four-day stay in the province, the commission's
delegation met with local officials and inspected the area where
Theys was found dead.

They also met three witnesses who saw unidentified men
escorting Aristoteles in the Hamadi housing complex in Jayapura,
hours after Theys was abducted.

"A national effort is needed to uncover who is behind the
abduction," Bambang Soeharto told The Jakarta Post moments before
leaving for Jakarta on Thursday.

He said they would bring their findings to the commission's
plenary session to decide what further actions needed to be
carried out to ensure an objective investigation into the case.