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.