Ian Timberlake, Jakarta – The mysterious death of charismatic leader Theys Eluay threatens to inflame desires for independence in Irian Jaya, the vast province occupying the western half of the island of New Guinea.

Eluay's death comes at a time when President Megawati Sukarnoputri's government has agreed to grant wide-ranging powers to Irian Jaya, Indonesia's easternmost province and a resource-rich region also known as West Papua.

Eluay, 64, was reportedly kidnapped November 10 after attending a dinner party at the headquarters of Kopassus, the army's special forces, in the provincial capital of Jayapura. He was found dead the next day on the edge of a ravine.

Eluay appeared to have been strangled – his face was darkened, and his tongue was sticking out – by assassins who tried to make the murder look accidental by pushing his car off a remote road. His driver, Ari Masoka, is still missing.

Although Eluay did not enjoy mass support before his death – many Papuans were suspicious of his past ties to the political party that backed the longtime ex-dictator Gen. Suharto – he received a hero's funeral. Thousands followed his coffin draped in the banned Morning Star separatist flag. Many shouted "Free Papua" – the local name for Irian Jaya – and demanded that Megawati bring his killers to justice.

Eluay, who was known for a wild shock of gray hair and a fondness for plaid pants, had chaired the pro-independence Papua Presidium Council since its formation last year to negotiate a solution to the many grievances voiced by the province's 2 million residents. Irian Jaya has been effectively part of Indonesia since 1963, a status confirmed by a United Nations-supervised vote in 1969, which was widely viewed as a sham.

"He has become a hero for the Papuan people," said Lukas Karl Degey, a Papuan and vice chairman of Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle.

Anum Siregar, Eluay's attorney, said solving the murder was a test of Megawati's credibility. "The government must determine who did this and why," he said in a telephone interview from Jayapura, about 1,700 miles east of Jakarta.

But the Indonesian police have a poor track record regarding high-profile cases. They have repeatedly failed to catch the masterminds behind recent bombings believed to be linked to security forces or Suharto's fugitive son, Hutomo Mandala Putra. Known popularly as Tommy Suharto, the son disappeared nearly a year ago after a court convicted him of corruption.

The Eluay case is complicated by widespread suspicion that the murder was committed by members of Kopassus, whose officers were believed to be irate over Eluay's plans to hoist the Morning Star flag this Saturday, on a key anniversary date for the pro-independence movement. They are also said to be willing to provoke Papuan rage to justify a crackdown. Kopassus has a long history of human rights abuses and executions of independence figures during the Suharto dictatorship.

"From the experience that we have had, a lot of people, including me, think the army's behind it, especially Kopassus," said Tom Beanal, the vice president of the Papua Presidium.

Maj. Gen. Mahidin Simbolon, the army commander in Irian Jaya, denied on local television that the military had anything to do with Eluay's death. He said the separatist leader had probably died of a heart attack. An autopsy showed that Eluay had died from a lack of oxygen, but it did not say what had caused the lack of oxygen.

Last week, Janner Pasaribu, a senior police official in Jayapura, said Eluay had been murdered, citing preliminary evidence gathered from witnesses. Jayapura Police Chief Daud Sihombing agreed. "We think the death isn't natural," he said, expressing optimism that the killers could be apprehended in the coming weeks.

But an informed source in Jayapura, who asked not to be named, expressed doubt: "The killing of Theys was very professional and skilled. It's difficult for the police to investigate."

Eluay's death followed two months of renewed tension in Irian Jaya. There have been renewed clashes between the military and separatist rebels, and Eluay and four other Presidium members were facing possible sentences of life in prison on charges of subversion for demanding independence. They had been free on bail.

In May, Eluay was interviewed at his home the day the trial began, sitting under a large picture of Jesus Christ. Unlike Muslim Malays, who make up the majority of Indonesia's 210 million inhabitants, most Papuans are Melanesians and devout Christians. Eluay said he was ready for whatever fate awaited him. "I'm ready not just for prison but death," he said.

Speculation on the reason for Eluay's slaying centers on his opposition to recently passed legislation granting wide-ranging autonomy to Irian Jaya. The new law, enacted October 22, officially changes the province's name to Papua, creates a special legislature to safeguard the rights of Papuans and reduces the flow of revenues from natural resources to Jakarta. Papua will now keep from 70 to 80 percent of those revenues, much of which come from the huge copper and gold mine run by US firm Freeport McMoRan.

But because Indonesia's repression and resource drain in Irian Jaya have been so egregious, Eluay and many other local leaders do not trust Jakarta's promises; they say nothing short of independence will be satisfactory.

Megawati, who firmly opposes any attempt by Indonesian provinces to break away, is expected to visit Irian Jaya on December 22 to present the new law and talk to local leaders.

A successful resolution of the Eluay case would ease tension and help cool independence sentiment, said a recent editorial in the Jakarta daily Suara Pembaruan. "It can almost be assured that if the killing is not quickly and thoroughly resolved, the situation will trigger a demand for independence," said the editorial.