Friday, June 14, 2002 04:59:03 AM

BENNI WENDA, HEAD OF DEMAK-KOTEKA TRIBAL COUNCIL ARRESTED

The arrest on 8 June of Benni Wenda, (32) the chair of DEMAK-KOTEKA, an organisation based in the Central Highlands, has led to fears from his organisation that he may be subjected to torture, or worse. There have also been calls for calm from AMP, the Alliance of Papuan Students, warning 
that any acts of violence in response to the arrest of the DEMAK leader could play into the hands of the authorities by stirring up trouble in West Papua and distracting attention from widespread concern about the still-unresolved killing of Theys Eluay.

According to a note from ELS-HAM, the arrest of Benni Wenda followed a report in the Jayapura daily, Cendrawasi Pos on 5 and 6 June, that plans were afoot for an attack to be made on police posts. Investigations by the police into these reports led to the arrest of Benni Wenda. The 
regional chief of police, Drs Made Mangku Pastika, confirmed when asked by ELSHAM that Benni Wenda had indeed been arrested. According to the police, the arrest had been made because he was suspected of being involved in an event in Abepura on 6 December 2000 when a police post was attacked. He was also suspected of attending meetings to plan attacks on police posts. An
additional reason for the arrest was that he was found to be in possession of two passports, an Indonesian passport and a Papua New Guinea passport.

Another name being mentioned for possible arrest was that of Daniel Koyoga who was also mentioned in the Cendrawasih Pos report as having attended a meeting where a plan was discussed to attack police posts.

ELSHAM also reports that for three days running prior to these events, Daniel Koyoga visited the office of ELSHAM to complain that he was being intimidated by being constantly followed by police agents in civilian clothes. On the fourth day, 7 June, Koyoga again visited the organisation
and asked ELSHAM to provide him with an escort because the police had mentioned his name for likely arrest. He insisted that he knows absolutely nothing about any plans to attack police posts.

After inquiries made with the police by ELSHAM, the police claimed that they were in possession of evidence that Koyoga was indeed 'involved'. Koyoga was warned not to proceed with such intentions and advised to report to the police for questioning.