Subject: [wp] More troops arrive in Jayapura, Hawk jets low-dive over City
To: WestPapua@topica.com, indonesia-act@igc.apc.org
CC: plovers@gn.apc.org, slliem@xs4all.nl, ericavebury@hotmail.com, etandc@igc.apc.org
MORE TROOPS ARRIVE IN JAYAPURA
The Jayapura-based human rights organisation, ELS-HAM issued a press release today 29 September 2000, which we summarise below:
An addition 650 troops from Infantry Battalion 713, North Sulawesi Landed at the naval base in Jayapura, West Papua around midday on 28 September aboard the passenger ship Teluk Bone. The troops consisted of four companies and as well as a number of Special Forces (the term Kopassus is not used).
At a welcoming ceremony, Brig-General Karel Ralahalu said that these troop reinforcements would be sent to areas along the border between
Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. He called on the troops to maintain harmonious relations with the community and said that they had been sent to help protect the Unitary Republic against its enemies. He did not elaborate on who he meant by 'enemies'. He said he hoped that the troops would use their skills in the areas of health and education to serve the community.
As the welcoming ceremony was in progress at around 2 pm, two British-made Hawk-100 and Hawk-200 jet aircraft flew very low over Jayapura, diving several times. These jet aircraft are currently based at the Franz Kaiseppo air base in Biak. The tremendous volume of noise created by the jets frightened the inhabitants.
As reported in ELS-HAM's press release of 28 September (which we have not seen). The presence of the Indonesian air force, AURI, in West Papua is related to air operations code-named 'Alfa' and Oscar'.
The arrival of thousands of non-organic troops in West Papua in the recent period, including Brimob, Kostrad, Kopassus and infantry battalions from other regional commands is related to the Jakarta policy of identifying the demand for freedom for the people of West Papua as a 'separatist' movement.
There have been several incidents, including the operation against flag-raisers in Sorong when three people were shot dead and 28 people
arrested. The most recent incident occurred in Wamena on 26 September when Brimob troops maltreated five people while trying to pull down a Papuan flag that they had unfurled. Reports from Wamena say that the troops are planning to pull down the remaining Papuan flag in Wamena. This has provoked a strong reaction from local people who are determined to defend the flag.
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TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 020 8771-2904 Fax: 020 8653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, West Papua and Acheh
26 years - and still going strong
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