Papuan asylum seeker's mother disappear

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sat, 04/15/2006 10:08 AM

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura

Siti Pandera Wanggai, the mother of four-year-old Anike, who is currently in Australia with her father who is seeking asylum there, has been missing since Tuesday and her whereabouts was still unknown as of Friday.

Siti told journalists Monday that Anike was taken to Australia by her estranged husband Junus Wanggai to seek asylum without her consent and that she would go to Jakarta to meet President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to seek his help.

According to Perisa Fonataba, 53, who shares a house with Siti, she was last seen Tuesday morning.

""She left the house to pick up pinang (areca nut) in a relative's house nearby before selling it in front of Asia hotel but she did not return,"" Periso said after reporting the case to Jayapura Police on Friday.

She said the night before she went missing, Siti was still talking about her plan to report the case to the President.

A group of 43 Papuans arrived by boat in northern Australia in January, seeking political asylum on the grounds they faced prosecution at home.

Siti found out that her daughter was among the group of 42 Papuans granted temporary visas by the Australian government while watching the news on television. The remaining person's visa is still under consideration.

Siti planned to go to Jakarta with several other people to ask the President's help to get her daughter back.

Nikolas Wanggai, who accompanied Perisa to report Siti missing, said they had searched for her everywhere.

""We've searched for her in all of our relatives' houses in Jayapura but could not find her. The plan to leave for Jakarta to meet the President has to be postponed until she's found,"" he said.

The plan to go to Jakarta was made possible with the assistance of Papua caretaker governor Soadjuangon Situmorang.

Siti's relative, Marvin Wanggai, recalled she was very enthusiastic about reporting her child missing to the governor.

""I don't know why she's suddenly gone,"" he said, expressing concern that she might be being threatened by someone.

Jayapura City Police public service unit chief Second Insp. Nikolas Riung said the family had reported Siti missing and the police would endeavor to find her.

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