fPcN interCultural:

friends of Peoples close to Nature

WEST PAPUAN PEOPLE'S REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE P.O. Box 1571, Port Vila, Republic of Vanuatu PRESS RELEASE - Port Vila, Vanuatu, June 29, 2004. Against strong evidence to the contrary, Jakarta and Washington are now attempting to place direct responsibility on the OPM for the murder of two American civilians and the wounding of eleven others, in 2002, near the US owned Freeport gold and copper mine in the disputed Indonesian province of West Papua. The OPM believes this is a blatant cover-up. The primary motive behind the indictment is to provide justification for the restoration of military ties between the present US Administration and tne new Indonesian Government under the anticipated presidency of General Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, after they were suspended following the TNI's brutal support of militias in East Timor.

The present actions of the US Attorney-General represent the second time that the US has abandoned the West Papuan people, sacrificing them on the altar of international "realpolitik". The first time was under the Kennedy Administration of forty-two years ago when the New York Agreement handed West Papua over to the Indonesians as a way of appeasing the Sukarno regime which was, at that time, flirting with the Soviet bloc.

Even UN personnel have since discredited the so called "Act of Free Choice" in 1969 which the UN supervised to rubber stamp Indonesia's annexation of West Papua.

The OPM have made their position clear that the OPM has not been involved in the killing of innocent civilians, whether Americans or otherwise. Earlier investigations made by the local Police Chief, Brigadier Pastika and the FBI, have shown strong evidence that the Indonesian military were directly involved in the killings. This view is shared by the surviving victims themselves.

We, as representatives of the OPM and of the West Papuan people, have condemned this incident as a crime against humanity. The alleged perpetrator, Mr Antonius Wamang, an ethnic Papuan, has never been an operational commander of the OPM. He has, however, been a suspected member of Cassowary Force, a Pro Jakarta Papuan Militia, set up by the TNI. Wamang has been observed to fly regularly between Papua and Jakarta for meetings with the Indonesian military. He has also been involved in the sandalwood trade in partnership with TNI. The TNI has a long history of supporting proxy militias in East Timor and West Papua. We vehemently deny any link between the OPM and this person.

Any attempt by the US Government to blame the OPM for the Freeport killings or label it a Terrorist Organization is not only wrong, but counter productive, considering that it is TNI/ Kopasus Forces who are protecting and training Islamic terrorist organisations such as Laskar Jihad.

The OPM is studying it's own intelligence reports suggesting the presence of Al Qaeda cells already operating in West Papua. The OPM has in the past warned Canberra, Port Moresby and Washington about the build up of Islamic terrorist organizations in West Papua.

We call upon the friends of West Papua in the United States, especially in the US Senate, to urge the Attorney-General to carry out further investigations into the incident in order to arrive at the truth.

We agree with the assessment made by Edward Mc Williams, a former senior US diplomat to Jakarta who has said: "If we go after the Free Papua Movement, we are basically conspiring in a cover-up".

For detailed information, please contact:
Dr. John Ondawame, OPM International Spokesman on: +678 42601

Free West Papua ! Free Aceh !

Papua Merdeka !!! Aceh Merdeka !!!

Region

• Melanesia