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Papuan Villagers Fear OPM Revenge After Police Attack
Banjir Ambarita | December 24, 2011

Free Papua Organization (OPM) alleged headquarters in Eduda, Paniai, after it was raided by Indonesian police. (JG Photo/Banjir Ambarita) Free Papua Organization (OPM) alleged headquarters in Eduda, Paniai, after it was raided by Indonesian police. (JG Photo/Banjir Ambarita)
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Markus Hagenauer
8:32pm Dec 24, 2011

@justpasserby:

Let´s look at Indonesia in 1945. Don´t you think it would have been easy to find more than one Indonesian telling that he wants the Netherlands to stay? Indonesia has the same right to rule Papua, as the Netherlands have the right to rule Indonesia.

Markus Hagenauer
8:13pm Dec 24, 2011

There is one person telling there are no civilian casualties and that the people are affraid of the OPM and want the police to stay. There are much more sources telling the police killed civilians, burnd down villages and thousands of civilians are hiding in the forests as they are affraid of police and military. I can´t claim I know the truth. It is verry hard to get independent information form the area. But why is that so? Because Indonesian dones not allow independent journalists to work there. Why should they do so, if they have nothing to hide. And if the population is on the side of the security forces and not on the side of the OPM, why there is no refferendum to proof this. An poll monitored by the UN would make this clear. But why is the OPM asking for a referendum and Indonesia opposes. The reason is simple. The Papuans don´t want to be part of Indonesia and the person quoted in this article does not speak for the majority.

RuleBritannia
2:50pm Dec 24, 2011

@justpasserby: We have confirmation from ONE civilian. Are you saying Papua rightfully belongs to Indonesia and they have no right to rebel against the occupation?


justapasserby
1:21pm Dec 24, 2011

So here we have confirmation from papuan civilian that OPM does not represent them, and in reality are in fact oppressing them. What more are we waiting? declare them as a terrorist organization, submit to UN and ask UK to arrest its representatives there.. lest the UK want to be called hypocrites. We arrest their terrorists, they should arrest ours.

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Tension was palpable in the hilly coastal district of Paniai, West Papua, more than 10 days after police raided a mountain hideout where armed separatists were believed to be staying.

On Dec. 12, police attacked a site in Eduda, Paniai, believed to be the headquarters for the local chapter of the outlawed Free Papua Organization (OPM)

They seized firearms, ammunition, knives, combat gear, documents and separatist flags, and according to a man claiming to be a spokesman for the OPM’s Paniai chapter, 14 guerillas were killed.

In the aftermath, villagers worry about the consequences.

“Residents are living in fear because of the possibility of a reaction from the OPM, since they usually conduct revenge operations and residents become the targets,” said a local religious leader, Father Oktovianus Pekei.

Oktovianus said he hoped that security forces would stay alert and protect the residents.

The whereabouts of the local OPM leader, John Magay Yogi, are unknown, and Oktovianus said the group might attempt to regain its headquarters under his leadership.

“They may continue to fight to get their headquarters back, which is what residents fear, because that will only lead to bloodshed,” the clergyman said.

He said the guerillas had often extorted money, produce and livestock from the villagers.

“Residents are afraid of the OPM because they always take,” he said, adding that they feared the OPM more than they feared soldiers and the police.

Johanes Yogi, a local public figure, agreed that the OPM had frequently threatened and robbed local residents.

“They say you’ll be fined if you work with the Republic of Indonesia, and that they’ll take livestock if you can’t pay,” Yogi said.

Oktovianus said he had not received reports of casualties of the local population from the raid.

“There have not been any civilian casualties,” he said.

After investigation, he added, reports that security personnel burned about 70 houses during the raid turned out to be false.

On Dec. 16, Indonesia Human Rights Committee said it received reports that people in Paniai were undergoing a “military siege involving horrendous destruction and violence,” including the torching of villages, deaths and forced evacuations.

Paniai Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Jannus Parlidungan Siregar said police estimated there were about 800 OPM members at the headquarters, with about 500 members in Eduda and the rest in nearby Dagouto and Kamopa. He said police were still searching for John Magai Yogi and another OPM leader, Salmon Yogi.

“We want to arrest these two OPM leaders because they’re responsible for all the actions that have caused unrest among the population, including the robbing of police weapons, the burning of two bridges and the robbery of people’s livestock,” Jannus said.

He said the situation in Paniai was secure, and he called on the people “not to believe in the various circulating rumors.”

Paniai district chief Naftali Yogi also said his territory was safe and under control.

“The activities of the population are proceeding smoothly now,” Naftali said, adding that he believed people no longer feared disturbances from the OPM.