Susilo warns Papuans over separatist flag raising
Susilo warns Papuans over separatist flag raising
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua
Chief security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono renewed the
government's warning against separatists in the province of Papua
on Tuesday. He said separatists would face tougher action from
security forces should they go ahead with their secessionist
campaign.
The statement was made during his visit to the provincial
capital of Jayapura only one day after a Papuan was shot dead and
two others were injured by police, while raising a separatist
flag on Monday. Two others were detained for questioning.
Susilo said that he regretted that the flag raising incident
had occurred. He said police personnel had been forced to fire
shots at the separatists.
Such an incident should not have taken place as the government
firmly stated that the unitary state of Indonesia is final and no
more territories can break away from the country after East Timor
in 1999, he said.
"Any separatist movement against Indonesia will be dealt with
severely," the visiting coordinating minister for political and
security affairs threatened.
Susilo ordered a thorough investigation into the flag raising
incident to prevent "misunderstanding by the public" and to
discover those behind it.
He said that police were handling the case of the two wounded
separatists and their two colleagues (currently being detained).
"I have received a report from the Papua police chief that the
two injured are being treated and that those detained will be
dealt with according to the legal process," he added.
Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Budi Utomo said that the two
arrested separatists told investigators that the flag was raised
due to an order by Matias Wenda, a senior leader of the rebel
Free Papua Movement (OPM).
"As a result of their confession we will discover whether the
order came from Matias Wenda," he added.
The flag was raised outside the Jayawijaya regency legislative
council in the capital city of Wamena by five Papuan separatists
to mark what they claimed to be the New Melanesian State's
anniversary on July 7.
The ceremony turned violent when police tried to break up the
gathering by firing warning shots. Police had spoken earlier to
the separatists for over an hour about lowering the flag, but the
separatists had refused.
Police said that they fired shots into the air three times but
the five men responded by attacking the police with traditional
weapons, such as daggers and bows.
The police continued to fire shots at the separatists killing
Yus Heselo, 30, and wounding Elias Asso and Welmus Asso.
Two other separatists, identified as Gustaf Ayomi and John
Hilapok, escaped without injury and were detained for questioning
at the Jayawijaya police office.
Utomo said the separatists were Papuans from the towns of
Manokwari and Serui. They came to Jayapura on June 30 before
traveling to Wamena to fly the separatist flag.
The New Melanesian group is a new separatist group in Papua.
Two other separatist organizations, the OPM and the Papua
Presidium Council (PDP), exist in the troubled province.
During the two day trip Susilo also visited the Papua Police
Headquarters to inspect home-made firearms and other weapons,
which had recently been confiscated from local people.
The chief security minister also spoke to at least 42 former
members of the OPM, who had surrendered to local police.
In a ceremony organized by local security forces on June 30,
2003, the former separatist rebels had sworn an oath declaring
that they voluntarily rejoined with the unitary state of
Indonesia.
OPM rebels were blamed for a series of incidents involving
hostages in Papua in their fight for independence from the
country.