Students call for witness protection

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Students here demanded on Friday protection for witnesses and relatives of victims of the July 1998 military shooting of protesters in Biak.

They said that only with a security guarantee could the witnesses testify over the incident, which was responsible for up to about 40 deaths and injured dozens of others.

"We want a written statement from local authorities guaranteeing the safety of these people," Septinus Inggabouw, a student leader, said.

Irian Jaya Governor Freddy Numbery met with the students, and approved the demand.

"Basically I, the Irian Jaya Military commander (Maj. Gen. Amir Sembiring) and Irian Jaya Police chief (Brig. Gen. Hotman Siagian) are ready to issue the security guarantee," Freddy said.

Local military admitted to one death during the shooting incident in Biak to disperse hundreds of Irianese who hoisted a West Papua "Morning Star" flag in July last year.

After a year of investigation into the incident, however, the Evangelical Christian Church and Indonesian Bible camp Church revealed their findings earlier this month which reported at least 8 deaths, 3 missing persons, 37 injured, four of whom were crippled, and 32 more bodies were found floating on Biak river. (34/edt)