Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono and TNI chief Gen. Djoko Santoso were divided Friday in their responses to a request from U.S. Congress members asking Indonesia to release two convicted Papuan separatists. The request was made in a letter sent by 40 Congress members to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on July 29, 2008, and urged him to immediately and unconditionally free Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage. Karma and Pakage were sentenced in May, 2005, to 15 and 10 years, respectively, for their involvement in the outlawed hoisting of the separatist Papuan flag of the Free Papua Organization (OPM). The Indonesian Military (TNI) chief criticized the request as "interfering" in Indonesia's internal affairs. "This is clearly an interference. The two Papuans were detained by the government, so the government must take further action," Djoko sai...

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