Last respects: Hundreds of Papuans joined a funeral procession for rebel leader Kelly Kwalik along the streets of Timika city before the funeral ceremony on Dec. 22. Kwalik was shot and killed during a raid on his hideout. JP/Markus Makur
Dec. 24, p. 6
Kelly Kwalik was recognized as a prominent Papuan leader of the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement (OPM). He resisted Indonesia’s rule over Papua until the last day of his life, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009. He was shot to death by the Indonesian Mobile Brigade Police in Timika, the capital of Mimika regency, Papua. In the absence of Kwalik, the police can easily justify the killing by linking him with allegations of misconduct.
Police might link Kwalik to the series of shootings near Timika over the past six months targeting the operations of the US mining company, Freeport-McMoran.
Kwalik might be accused of having ordered the kidnapping of the two Belgian journalists who were released after two months in 2001.
They might allege he was involved in the killing two US Freeport employees in 2001. The list can be made longer by adding other allegations against Kwalik.
Despite the allegations, he was killed neither during a war nor in an exchange of fire.
Indeed, he was assassinated in a time of peace in a raid conducted by the police.
Since he was assassinated in a time of peace, Kwalik’s death might not be the final goal of the killing. (By Neles Tebay, Abepura)
Your comments:
Indonesia is happy to rave on about its colonial past but then invades West Papua and performs a fraudulent takeover of the country. Why?
Because Freeeport and Soeharto did a deal to exploit the land.
The Indonesian people are naive to believe they own West Papua when all they have been doing has been supporting the raping and pillaging of West Papua for a few politicians and businessmen.
No wonder the people hate you, because you are always two-faced. Grow up for a change.
John Ralph
Jakarta
I know some more possibilities: during their investigations, the police made some hints the military were behind the attacks.
This is rather likely to be true, but it cannot be the official result of the investigations, because it would lead to a war between the security forces.
So they needed a scapegoat, and it was the easiest thing to choose one who was known for his struggle for independence. Another possibility is that the security forces are afraid of negotiations between Jakarta and Papua.
If those were successful, they would loose their unrestrained control over the region. So they imprison or even kill those who could have spoken for Papua at those talks.
Markus Hagenauer
Surheim, Germany
In addition to human rights abuses committed by the Indonesian military and police in Papua, the judiciary, by sentencing peaceful Papuan demonstrators to long jail sentences, denies their right to freedom of expression, and further exacerbates hostility to Indonesian rule.
One particularly shocking event associated with the murder of Kelly Kwalik by Indonesian security forces was the subsequent detention of five people, including a 10-year-old child.
Both Amnesty and Human Rights Watch have called attention to torture and brutality practiced by jail wardens in Papua, yet another aspect of life in Papua that needs addressing.
Esther Anderson
Australia
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