Jakarta – Indonesian police and troops cut down a separatist flag in Papua province on the anniversary Monday of an independence proclamation, activists said, but there were no immediate reports of violence.
Authorities had banned any attempt to mark the December 1 anniversary and more than 1,100 extra troops and police had been deployed. The Bintang Kejora (Morning Star) flew outside the home of murdered pro-independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay for almost three hours before it was cut down, said Reverend Herman Awom, a former colleague of Eluay.
Special forces troops in November 2001 murdered Eluay, who had campaigned peacefully for independence. Seven soldiers were jailed for the killing but Indonesia's army chief General Ryamizard Ryacudu described them as heroes.
Awom said members of the pro-independence Papua Taskforce raised the flag at 6am to the strains of an independence hymn, "O Papua, My Land." The red-and-white Indonesian national flag also flew outside Eluay's former home at Sentani near the provincial capital Jayapura. "The raising of the flag alongside the Red-and-White had been agreed with the local military, police and administration leaders during the rule of former president Gus Dur (Abdurrahman Wahid)," Awom told AFP.
He said police and soldiers arrived on trucks. After their demand to take down the Morning Star was ignored, they cut it down. "There was no incident. Maybe some panic among those attending Mass inside the house, but there was no arrest or violence," said Awom.
Most indigenous Papuans are Christians. More than 500 people attended the two-hour Mass to mark the anniversary. "Everyone has gone home now and there was no incident," Awom said. "We Papuans are tired of death. We all want peace." Papua police could not immediately be reached for comment.
Alo Renwarin, deputy director of the Elsham provincial rights group, said his office had received a similar report of events at Eluay's house, along with peaceful religious gatherings elsewhere.
Seven people will face trial for treason after flying a separatist flag on November 27 at Manokwari in the west of the province.
Separatists on December 1, 1962, proclaimed the state of West Papua. Indonesia ignored the proclamation and took control of the mountainous jungle-clad territory from Dutch colonisers in 1963. The Free Papua Movement has waged a sporadic low-level armed revolt since then and other groups have campaigned peacefully for independence.
Papuans have complained they did not get a fair share of the province's rich natural resources. Gross abuses by troops also fuelled separatist sentiment. Jakarta in 2001 granted the province special autonomy and a greater share of mineral wealth. But recent plans to split the province into three, ostensibly to improve administration, sparked discontent and killings.