[Tensions between Jakarta and Papua's independence movement have escalated following the weekend attack near the giant Freeport gold mine in Papua. Three people, including two Americans and an Indonesian, were killed when unidentified gunmen ambushed a convoy of cars. There are concerns Jakarta will now crackdown further on the independence movement to try and prevent Papua from becoming "another East Timor."]

Presenter/Interviewer: Linda LoPresti

Speakers: John Rumbiak, head of ELSHAM, Papua's human rights group in Jayapura; Dr Richard Chauvel Australian Asia Pacific Institute, Victoria University, Melbourne; Dr John Ondowame, The West Papua Project, Sydney University

Lopresti: In early July, just two months before the weekend ambush at the Freeport mine, 16 high-ranking officers of the Papua Provincial police met for a three hour meeting. At the end of their talks, operation Adil Matoa was born.

The 60-day plan, which reportedly began in the first week of August, aims to shut down Papua's independence movement, possibly by arresting and prosecuting the leaders of the armed wing, the Free Papua Movement or OPM and the Papuan Presidium.

But now with the worst ever attack on the Freeport mine, there are fears that Indonesia will use the murders to strengthen its crackdown. Papua's police chief has already laid the blame for the ambush squarely at the feet of the OPM.

But John Rumbiak, who heads ELSHAM, Papua's human rights group in Jayapura, believes the Indonesian military and the police are responsible. He says OPM leader Kelly Kwalik told him he was committed to peace.

Rumbiak: "He said that himself. And he called on other guerilla leaders to support this programme. I have travelled to other parts of Papua as well to meet with other guerilla leaders – and they are all in the same position, supportive of this peaceful programme."

Lopresti: But as Indonesian security and police widen their hunt for the unidentified gunmen, reprisals have already begun against the rebels, One man was killed in a firefight with Indonesian troops on Sunday.

Dr Richard Chauvel heads the Australian Asia Pacific Institute at Victoria University in Melbourne. He says undoubtedly, the Freeport murders will strengthen the military's hand against the separatists.

Chauvel: "I think they'll undoubtedly do that. They're still trying to persuade the Americans to recommence working relations and supplies to the Indonesian military. That, in the current international environment of being able to identify terrorist attacks, particularly that resulted in the killing of two Americans, and the wounding of others, clearly can fit into that political objective."

Lopresti: Papuans are already angry about the assasination of independence leader Theys Eluay last November. A dozen army special force soldiers are about to face a military court over his murder. But now there's more. Dr John Ondowame is with the West Papua Project at Sydney University's Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies. He says Operation Adil Matoa has already well and truly begun.

Ondawame: "There's no doubt that many Papuans, particularly the leaders have been arrested and some of them have been targetted and threatened with death, particulay the human rights group based in Jayapura, as well as church leaders who advocate peaceful negotiation with the Indonesian government, and against the Indonesian presence in West Papua."

Lopresti: But human rights activist John Rumbiak says Operation Adil Matoa was conceived by the Papuan police as a way to placate Jakarta and get more funding. He says while activists and independence leaders have been questioned, the movement is far from being outlawed.

Rumbiak: "They haven't any money so they have to submit a proposal that has to sound like a military operation sort of thing. And that's why they submitted the proposal to Jakarta not aimed at arresting the political activists but to question the Praesidium and other political organisations in the province."

Chauvel: "I think John Rumbiak is correct in the sense that announcement was made in July, very little has in fact happened. The difficulty we're in at the moment – we've had the military commander suggesting the OPM was involved the attack at Freport on Saturday – strong denials of that both from John Rumbiak and the Papuan Praesidium from William Mendowen saying that it is not in Papuan interests to launch these sorts of armed attacks."

Lorpresti: Dr Richard Chauvel. Where the peace process goes from here is now anyone's guess. Jakarta has offered autonomy to Papua, a move rejected by Papuan separatists. But there's growing cynicism about its sincerity to enter a national dialogue.

Chauvel: "No Indonesian government has given any indication that they're willing to engage in those types of negotiations. The outcome of that is that a peaceful resolution of tensions in Papua is perhaps further away than it has been previously."