Indonesian lawmakers: Gov't knew of situation before deadly Papuan Congress shooting

Indonesian lawmakers: Gov't knew of situation before deadly Papuan Congress shooting

2011-11-09 12:52:11 GMT+7 (ICT)

JAKARTA (BNO NEWS) -- The Indonesian government was well informed about the escalating tensions in the eastern province of West Papua before deadly police violence during the Third Papuan Peoples Congress, lawmakers alleged on Wednesday.

The violence erupted on October 19 when hundreds of paramilitary police and army troops stormed the congress venue in Abepura, Jayapura in West Papua, arresting about 300 people including an activist from the Secretariat of Justice and Peace of Catholic Church, Neles, Papua Tribal Council Head Forkorus Yeboisembut and prominent Papuan figure Edison Waromi.

The congress ended after a political declaration regarding the self-determination of the indigenous Papuan population was read out. According to reports received by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), security forces fired warning shots, used tear gas, and beat up numerous participants while dispersing the crowd.

The bodies of six Congress participants were later found while dozens more were injured, resulting in allegations of excessive violence by security forces. But police denied those claims, saying there was a 'justifiable response' because the Congress aimed to form an independent Papuan state.

On Wednesday, several lawmakers claimed the Indonesian government had known months ahead about what to expect during the Congress. "Then State Intelligence Agency chief Sutanto informed the security commission on the possibility of an escalation of conflict in Papua at least three months before the congress," said Hidayat Nur Wahid of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), as quoted by the Jakarta Post.

Helmy Fauzi of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) agreed, saying it is 'impossible' that both President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Coordinating Legal, Political and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto did not know about the situation.

"We regret that the government ignored the warnings. We could have avoided unnecessary bloodshed if the government paid more attention," Helmy Fauzi said, the newspaper reported.

But Djoko, responding to Wednesday's allegations, said he had not received prior information regarding an escalation of tension in Papua ahead of the Congress.

In the past, many people have been arrested for expressing political views that support independence from Indonesia. Soon after the Second Papuan People's Congress in 2000, the elected political representative of the indigenous Papuan community was abducted and killed by the Indonesian military.

Foreign journalists are not given access to the Papuan provinces by Indonesia and several international groups including the Red Cross have been banned from operating in the region.

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