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Flag raising ends with death of separatist
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The
Jakarta Post
July
8, 2003
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Flag raising ends with death of separatist
Nethy Dharma Somba , The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua
The Jayawijaya Police in Papua province shot dead a separatist and injured two
others as they hoisted a their group's flag outside the regency's legislative council on
Monday.
Aimed to mark the New Melanesian State's anniversary on July 7, the flag was raised
at 2:30 p.m. local time by five Papuan separatists who carried traditional weapons,
such as daggers and bows.
The ceremony turned violent when police tried to disperse the gathering by firing
warning shots. Police had earlier spoken to the separatists for an hour about lowering
the flag, but they had refused.
Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Budi Utomo said his officers fired shots in the air three
times, but the five men did not respond and instead attacked them with their
traditional weapons.
The police eventually fired shots at the separatists, killing Yus Heselo, 30, and
wounding Elias Asso and Welmus Asso, he said.
In Jakarta, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar confirmed that the Jayawijaya
Police had acted according to procedure, firing warning shots and then shooting in
self-defense when the separatists turned on them.
The two injured separatists are being treated at a hospital in Mawena, the capital of
Jayawijaya.
Two other separatists, identified as Gustaf Ayomi and John Hilapok, who both
escaped the without injury, were detained for questioning at the local police office.
Da'i said more Papuan separatists would likely be arrested in connection with the
incident.
The police investigators who questioned Ayomi and Hilapok said the separatists came
from the town of Kurima and that several of them had often stayed in Wamena.
The police also seized three New Melanesian flags, three daggers, two bows and 19
arrows from the suspects.
The separatists could be charged with treason against the state, attacking police
officers and possession of sharp weapons.
"We charge them with violating Articles 106 and 110 of the Criminal Code on offenses
against the state," said Utomo, who was accompanied by his deputy Brig. Gen.
Tommy Jacobus.
"The council's building is a symbol of the government, so their offense is categorized
as a crime against the sovereign government. They will also be charged with violating
Law No. 12/1951 on the possession of firearms and sharp weapons," he added.
He said the situation remained under control in Wamena despite the incident, and
that there was no need to beef up security in the town, where one Mobile Brigade
platoon was already stationed.
Responding to the incident, Papua Governor Jaap Salossa called for a thorough
investigation into the separatists' activity to uncover the masterminds who "had tried
to provoke Papuans into resisting the government".
He urged the Papuan people not to be provoked easily into fomenting antigovernment
plots that could be detrimental to themselves and the province.
"We have insisted that the government be tougher against separatism, but why are
there still groups trying to resist it (the government)? Such groups should be dealt
with firmly to stop their activities," Salossa said.
The New Melanesian group has recently surfaced as a new separatist group in Papua.
So far, two other separatist organizations, the Free Papua Movement (OPM) and the
Papua Presidium Council (PDP), exist in the troubled province.
The Monday incident came one day before the security minister was to visit Papua
from July 8 to July 9 to speak at the University of Cendrawasih and to open an event
organized by the Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI).
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