PAPUA -- MORE TRIBAL TURBULENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 003076 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP, DRL, EAP/ANP, DS NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2017 TAGS: PGOV PINS ASEC ID SUBJECT: PAPUA -- MORE TRIBAL TURBULENCE REF: JAKARTA 2930 JAKARTA 00003076 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Timika--a major town in South-central Papua--was paralyzed November 3-4 as crowds barricaded and destroyed a police station. Police agreed to the crowd's demands and the situation is now tense but stable. The unrest forced alterations in the schedule of the Ambassador's November 1-5 visit to Papua, although the party was not in danger and U.S. company Freeport-McMoRan's facilities were not threatened. In the meantime, long-standing inter-tribal animosities continue to simmer in the region. END SUMMARY. ROCK THE CASBAH ¶2. (SBU) There has been more violence in Papua in eastern Indonesia. On November 3, a crowd from the Paniai tribe in Timika barricaded for ten hours and eventually destroyed a local police station. During the riot, which basically shut down the town, one tribal elder (who also was a policeman) died and one policeman was injured. Police control of the city temporarily collapsed and order returned only after the police agreed to meet all the protestors' demands. The situation heated up again on November 4 as Paniai arsonists attacked and burned 15 houses of the Biak tribe. Military forces stationed in Papua were called in and helped extinguish the fires. ¶3. (SBU) The unrest occurred after a policeman, Adj Cmdr Yance Ikomouw, who was also an elder of the Paniai tribe, died after an altercation with police over their detention of Ikomouw's son for "misbehavior" and intoxication. Ikomouw reportedly collapsed during the altercation and later died at Mitra Masyarakat Hospital. Police claim the death was from cardiac arrest, while the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSHAM)--a local civil society group--blamed the police for the death. POLICE -- WE GIVE UP ¶4. (SBU) The police clearly had their hands full. The initial violence ended after Papua Deputy Police Chief Andi Lolo--who flew in from the capital in Jayapura--acceded to Paniai demands. This included compensation for all property damaged caused by the riot and air transportation of Ikomouw's body to his distant native village for burial. Paniai protesters reportedly also demanded the transfer of Mimika (the local district) Police chief Adj Sr Cmdr Godhelp Mansnembra out of the area and the prosecution of Mimika Baru Sub-Precinct police chief Adj Cmdr Y. Yawan for his alleged role in the death of Ikomouw. Mansnembra and Yawan--and this could be the real story--are reportedly members of the rival Biak tribe. ¶5. (C) According to poloff accompanying the Ambassador on his trip to the region (see below),police resistance collapsed during the unrest and order was only restored by military forces. Papua observer Dr. Albert Hasibuan told poloff on November 5 that the situation had calmed down, but tensions remained between the Paniai and the police and between the Paniai and Biak tribes. In a November 5 conversation with Pol/C, Jakarta-based Special Adviser Albert Matondang in the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs said authorities' efforts at this time were focused on forestalling a cycle of retribution between the two tribes. Matondang added that the situation was "much calmer" now, but he did not have further information regarding police negotiations with the Paniai tribe. TRIP, INTERRUPTED ¶6. (C) The violence somewhat altered the Ambassador's November 1-5 visit to Papua. Deputy Police Chief Lolo, who had met the Ambassador in Jayapura on November 2, advised the Ambassador not to proceed to Timika during the unrest. On November 4, the Ambassador's party traveled safely to the Timika region but then had to remain overnight in Tembagapura in the highlands because of renewed unrest in Timika. There was no danger to the Ambassador's party. There were also no problems reported at U.S. company Freeport McMoran's Timika JAKARTA 00003076 002.2 OF 002 site (a major mining operation). IT'S A TRIBAL THING ¶7. (C) Papua is awash in inter-tribal (and intra-tribal) animosities. A key underlying factor in the latest violence was the apparent tension between the Paniai and Biak tribes. In the meantime, there is significant tension in the highlands between the Amungme and Dani tribes, which recently exploded into violence (reftel). Re Timika, police performance--in what is a major Papua entrepot--is getting poor reviews. Clearly, the Paniai were able to gain the upper hand and the police are now in the weak position of bartering for peace. HUME