INDONESIA-P
Kompas - All translations 'as received.' - John
Note: A later Antara story doubles the number arrested. It is apparent
that the government does not intend to repeat the mistake it made after
the September 1995 East Timor riots of not bringing criminal prosecutions
against common law-breakers. There will apparently be a smaller number
of political trials as well. It is ironic that the fervently non-violent
Thomas Wainggai would have disapproved the rioters' violent behavior
and would have sided with those who would bring them before the courts.
It is near obscene that OPM sympathizers would try to capitalize on
the death of a man who despised OPM's violent tactics. - John
Kompas Online
_________________________________________________________________
Wedneday, 20 March 1996
_________________________________________________________________
40 RIOTERS ARRESTED
* More Riots at Wanggai's Burial
Jayapura, Kompas Online
Head of the Trikora Military Information Section Lieutenant Colonel
Maulud Hidayat confirmed the arrest of 40 residents of Jayapura
suspected of being behind the violent demonstrations in Abepura on
Monday (18/3). The one-day riot lead to huge material damage and the
death of four people.
Further disruptions have also been reported in Jayapura on Tuesday
(19/3) during the burial ceremony of Thomas Wapay Wanggai, an Irianese
separatist leader who died in Jakarta on Tuesday (12/3) while serving
a 20 year prison sentence.
Over 11 houses have been damaged and the windows of offices, houses
and shops have been chattered after rioters rampaged through Jayapura.
Tight security has, however, ensured that the discontent has remained
controlled.
Although by Tuesday evening calm had returned to Jayapura, the
military still fear, because of the death of three local residents,
violence may recur. The new outbreaks may be ignited by
inter-religious, racial and group conflict (SARA).
Maulad Hidayat said two of the rioters were arrested for destroying
the national Indonesian flag and another was arrested for raising the
Irianese separatist flag. They are partaking in strange activities
including flying the separatist flag, explained ABRI Chief of General
Staff Lieutenant General Soeyono in Jakarta yesterday.
Soeyono said an ABRI member had died during Monday's riots. According
to information from the military post in Abepura the ABRI member,
identified as Corporal Marthinus Wenda from the Kiwirok Military
Command, was not on duty but was rather in the market place in Abepura
when demonstrators set light to the market. He was stabbed by a shop
owner who thought the Corporal, then dressed in civilian clothes, was
one of the demonstrators.
The other three victims have been identified as John Wenda from the
Arso village, theology student Sem Ereli and Albert Kogoya from
Kotaraja. John Wenda died after being crushed by a bus, Sem Ereli was
stabbed and Albert Kogoya's throat had been slit. An additional 16
people are reported wounded.
Soeyono said that the latest bout of riots in Abepura were similar to
those in Timika (Irian Jaya). Because they were aggravated. Like I
have said before, a letter had been circulated inviting people to
riot. According to that letter, ABRI is not in the position to handle
the rioting or ABRI will not do anything, he explained.
The aggravators, he continued, are Irianese based in Jakarta while
people in Irian Jaya coordinate the activity. Presently, we are
investigating the activities of a non-government organization, he
said, declining to mention which particular NGO.
According to Soeyono, the unrest had occurred because a group wanted
the body of Thomas Wanggai buried at the Cendrawasih University
campus. Security forces, he said, had no idea that the body would be
sent to Irian Jaya nor did they anticipate the reaction when the body
was not to be taken to the University.
Father Philipus Erari, presiding over Wanggai's funeral, said that the
body was carried to Jayapura only after the assistance of the Trikora
Military Command.
Soeyono maintained the riots in Abepura had no connection with the
kidnapping orchestrated by Kelly Kwalik. Soeyono was unable to confirm
whether the riots would be treated as subversive activity. We can't
say whether it was subversive or not. Everything had to be examined.
But we must be on alert so we have sent troops there, he said, adding
that anti-riot squads have been sent from Bogor, West Java and
Ujungpandang.*
_________________________________________________________________