Senin, Juni 24, 2002 08:56:48

Yesterday, Yafet Yelemaken, Director of the Civilian Custom Institute in Wamena, West Papua, died in agony in his home in the Baliem Valley. 

Suspected Poisoned by the Enemy

Yesterday, Yafet Yelemaken, Director of the Civilian Custom Institute in Wamena, West Papua, died in agony in his home in the Baliem Valley. It is widely suspected he was poisoned by Indonesian guerrilla commandos who were sent to West Papua two weeks ago. The airport in the Baliem Valley has now been closed, and communication facilities to indigenous organizations have been down-graded. 

The highland chief was widely respected throughout the Baliem Valley, and was a leader of the Papua Presidium Council. His death follows the imprisonment and torture of Benny Wenda, another popular highland leader and chair of the Koteka Tribal Assembly, whose health is rapidly deteriorating in an Indonesian incarceration centre in Jayapura. 

The death of Yafet Yelemaken marks the beginning of a military sweep recently announced by Indonesia’s new army chief, Lt. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu. One hundred Penembak Misterius (“special mysterious shooters” or "snipers") were sent to West Papua recently with a “state duty to cripple and paralyse the Papua independence movement”. The commandos are operating guerrilla-style, in small groups of six to eight, attempting to destabilise West Papua’s non-violent movement by pitting tribal leaders against each other.

The radical tactics were instigated by the government in Jakarta, which is frustrated that its Special Autonomy program, imposed nearly three years ago, has not succeeded in quelling calls for independence from its awkward Melanesian province.

West Papuans are begging the international community to prepare a team of special observers to visit and report on the situation. They want protection for their leaders and political activists.

Jacob Rumbiak
Co-ordinator, 
Foreign Affairs 
United West Papua National Front for Independence

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I have just been informed that Yafet Yelemaken, a senior Dani chief from Baliem Valley was found dead in his home, and according to ELSHAM he was poisoned. I met him when in WP in April, and also 2 weeks ago in Bali. (He was there in Bali to deliver a testamony on behalf of Papuans at the civil society meetings organised in parallel with the formal UN PrepCom meeting for the Earth Summit in Johannesburg).

He was a lovely man, with glowing eyes, who really impressed me with his wisdom. He, along with the other 4 senior Baliem Valley chiefs, was arrested and held for 8 months after the Wamena riots - caused by police after they shot 10 Papuans protecting the flag on October 6, 2000. They were found guilty of inciting the riot, and all have to report to the 
Wamena police station every month. Yafet headed up an organisation called Society for Highlands Survival.

When I have more news I'll send on. We are trying to get media here. I have also heard that Bennie Wenda's health is deteriorating.

A another sad day for West Papua.

Kel