Team to investigate Irian Jaya rights abuses

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): An independent team to investigate human rights abuses in Irian Jaya will be set up by the National Commission on Human Rights, members said here on Thursday.

Clementino dos Reis Amaral and Albert Hasibuan said the team would focus especially on the shooting on July 6, 1998 in Biak, when hundreds of Irianese hoisting a West Papua "Morning Star" flag were attacked by security personnel.

Amaral and Hasibuan told the media at the end of a meeting with community leaders and nongovernmental groups here that they had come on the invitation of the Catholic Church of the Jayapura Diocese, the Evangelical Christian Church and the Indonesian Bible Camp Church, and the Institute for Human Rights Studies and Advocacy (IHRSTAD).

Different versions were reported over the shooting in Biak. The government said one died from bullet wounds. Meanwhile, a year of investigations by the above groups revealed that eight were killed, while locals reported more.

The groups also found three went missing after the incident.

Some 5,000 Irianese held a peaceful demonstration on Monday demanding the government to hold a workshop on what community leaders and activists have said was the neglected problem of Irianese.

Community leaders have raised objections to the government's plan to divide Irian Jaya into three provinces, saying the government did not consult the Irianese. (34)