Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07JAKARTA2354
2007-08-28 06:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Jakarta
Cable title:
PAPUA: NO CORROBORATION OF PURPORTED SECURITY
how-toVZCZCXRO1703 OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM DE RUEHJA #2354 2400627 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 280627Z AUG 07 FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5952 INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 1063 RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY IMMEDIATE 3411 RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4241 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0701 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 1687 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 002354
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/ANP, INR/EAP, EAP/MLS,
DRL/PHD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINS ID
SUBJECT: PAPUA: NO CORROBORATION OF PURPORTED SECURITY
FORCE INVOLVEMENT IN SLAYINGS
Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 002354
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/ANP, INR/EAP, EAP/MLS,
DRL/PHD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINS ID
SUBJECT: PAPUA: NO CORROBORATION OF PURPORTED SECURITY
FORCE INVOLVEMENT IN SLAYINGS
Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: An Australian newspaper has reported the
murder of two Papuans in central Papua, purportedly by
Indonesian security forces. Our contacts have so far failed
to provide any credible evidence of police or military
involvement in the slayings. END SUMMARY
2. (SBU) The Sunday Age (Melbourne, Australia) on August 26
published a story alleging that Indonesian security forces
had murdered two Papuans in Nabire, Papua. (Note: Nabire, a
town of about 75,000 residents, is located approximately 600
kilometers southwest of Jayapura.) One victim was found dead
three weeks ago while the other was found two weeks earlier.
Both were members of the Kingmi Church, an Evangelical
Christian group. Their bodies reportedly had numerous deep
cuts, lacerations and other mutilations. Reverend Socratez
Yoman, the only Papuan quoted in the article, charged that
the murders were part of a campaign by security forces to
intimidate Papuans.
3. (C) Embassy contacts have so far been unable to provide
any credible evidence of security force involvement in the
killings. Australian Embassy officer Michael Kachel, who has
just returned from a visit to Papua, told poloff he had found
no evidence of security force involvement, although several
Papuans had cited text-messages alleging this. The
International Crisis Group's Francesca Lawe-Davies, a
long-time Papua observer, told poloff that Rev Yoman had been
an unreliable source in the past.
4. (C) Like many events in remote parts of Papua, these
murders quickly became the subject of rumor, speculation and
conspiracy theories, with text-messages cycling around.
Several interlocutors speculated to us that the murders might
be related to divisions within the Kingmi Church, and in
particular, a bitter court struggle over control of church
property, but there is no evidence of that either.
HUME
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/ANP, INR/EAP, EAP/MLS,
DRL/PHD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINS ID
SUBJECT: PAPUA: NO CORROBORATION OF PURPORTED SECURITY
FORCE INVOLVEMENT IN SLAYINGS
Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: An Australian newspaper has reported the
murder of two Papuans in central Papua, purportedly by
Indonesian security forces. Our contacts have so far failed
to provide any credible evidence of police or military
involvement in the slayings. END SUMMARY
2. (SBU) The Sunday Age (Melbourne, Australia) on August 26
published a story alleging that Indonesian security forces
had murdered two Papuans in Nabire, Papua. (Note: Nabire, a
town of about 75,000 residents, is located approximately 600
kilometers southwest of Jayapura.) One victim was found dead
three weeks ago while the other was found two weeks earlier.
Both were members of the Kingmi Church, an Evangelical
Christian group. Their bodies reportedly had numerous deep
cuts, lacerations and other mutilations. Reverend Socratez
Yoman, the only Papuan quoted in the article, charged that
the murders were part of a campaign by security forces to
intimidate Papuans.
3. (C) Embassy contacts have so far been unable to provide
any credible evidence of security force involvement in the
killings. Australian Embassy officer Michael Kachel, who has
just returned from a visit to Papua, told poloff he had found
no evidence of security force involvement, although several
Papuans had cited text-messages alleging this. The
International Crisis Group's Francesca Lawe-Davies, a
long-time Papua observer, told poloff that Rev Yoman had been
an unreliable source in the past.
4. (C) Like many events in remote parts of Papua, these
murders quickly became the subject of rumor, speculation and
conspiracy theories, with text-messages cycling around.
Several interlocutors speculated to us that the murders might
be related to divisions within the Kingmi Church, and in
particular, a bitter court struggle over control of church
property, but there is no evidence of that either.
HUME