Theys murder trial to be in Surabaya
Theys murder trial to be in Surabaya
SORONG, Papua: Seven Army special forces (Kopassus) soldiers, who
are suspects in the murder of Papuan independence leader Theys
Hiyo Eluay, will be tried next month at the Surabaya military
tribunal in East Java.
Chief of military police Maj. Gen. Sulaiman A.B. said on
Sunday that the probe into the murder of the Papuan leader had
ended in October.
He added that the dossiers on the seven suspects had been
submitted to the military prosecutors in Surabaya.
Theys was found dead on an inter-city road near Jayapura after
attending a celebration at the local military base. Medical
reports said he died of suffocation.
Sulaiman added that the trial of the Kopassus soldiers would
hear testimony from 80 witnesses.
He also said his investigators had many "difficulties" in
uncovering the case because the probe was launched four months
after the murder. -- Antara
New airline begins in Riau
PEKANBARU, Riau: Almost all members of the provincial
administration here on Monday witnessed the kick-off ceremony of
Riau Airlines at the Sultan Syarif Kasim Airport.
The inauguration was marked with the flight of a Fokker-50
airplane from the Sultan Syarif Airport in Pekanbaru to the Hang
Nadim Airport in Batam.
Riau Airlines is run by the provincial administration of Riau
to connect remote areas in the province.
Governor Saleh Djasit, speaker of legislative council (DPRD)
Chaidir, deputy governor R.A. Aziz and some journalists attended
the inauguration.
"This airlines will boost connections among regions and
encourage investors to come to Riau," Saleh said.
The launch of the Riau Airlines followed similar moves by
other provincial administrations which established their own
airlines. They include the North Sumatra and Papua provinces. --
Antara
Alarming number of NTT dropouts
KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: About 60 percent of 3.8 million
people in this province did not finish elementary school despite
the presence of many school buildings.
A local-born businessman Pius Kia Tapoona regretted the
numbers, saying that the local administration should improve
education performance in the area.
"Officials with the local administration should be embarrassed
with this fact," said Pius, director of PT Ata Ile Lodo (AILO) on
Monday.
Whoever becomes the governor of East Nusa Tenggara, he said,
must pay serious attention into human resource development.
Pius suggested that the education system should be modified,
otherwise local leaders of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) would only
maintain the low quality of local human resources. -- Antara
Official wants Rp 30b for contraceptives
SURABAYA, East Java: The population control programs in East Java
are threatened with a contraceptive shortfall next year,
according to the head of the family planning agency.
Head of the family planning board Yoeswantoro said that his
office would receive Rp 16 billion from the state budget next
year, but he actually claims to need over Rp 30 billion (nearly
US$3 million)
The family planning board sent a letter to the provincial
legislative council, seeking more money from the local
administration.
Responding to the plea, legislator Harbiah Salahuddin
suggested that the local administration allocate an additional
fund of at least Rp 2 billion, similar to last year's budget.
Family planning program around the country is actually under
the auspices of the central government. However, it will soon be
delegated to regional administrations. -- Antara