Jayapura – XVII/Trikora Commander, Maj-Gen Nurdin Zainal MM, on Thursday (28 October) fulfilled his promise to meet with students and residents of Koteka in relation to the "Mulia Case" which resulted in several deaths. The meeting went for several hours at the Papua Regional People's Consultative Council (DPRD) and the parties agreed to form a team to investigate the Mulia case.
Demonstration Coordinator, Jefry Pagawa, was given the first opportunity to present his opinion and concentrated on describing the chronology of the Mulia case.
Jefry said that TNI/Police received information on 17 August that Guliat Tabuni would enter Mulia City to create disturbances and ruin celebrations for Indonesia's 59th Independence Day. Based on this information, around six members of the Special Forces (Kopassus) without permission or the knowledge of the Puncak Jaya Regency Government immediately went to the location at Gurage at around 1600 local time.
However, after several hours no one had located Guliat Tabuni. Then at 0900 local time, Guliat Tabuni's whereabouts were discovered, because a Kopassus member entered via his courier which then resulted in a chase and gun battle. "Two members of Guliat Tabuni's group died and one soldier was shot as a result of the gun battle," he said.
Jefry also said that security authorities had fabricated information and at the time Guliat Tabuni had actually arrived from Timika simply to see his relatives and visit the graves of relatives and his father.
Jefry said that a result of these events was that on 14 September seven members of Kopassus couldn't find anyone in Mulia between 1500 to 0500 local time.
At the time, Jefry said, a mother left Honai and told people not to tell others about the Kopassus members there. At this time, they [Kopassus] immediately went to the Church and through the window saw Priest Elisa Tabuni sitting down reading the Bible.
"Elisa Tabuni was forcibly summoned outside, met with them and told to go with them. They were on foot and Elisa Tabuni's child – an official at the church in Monia -went with them," Jefry said. During the walk, they were asked the whereabouts of Guliat Tabuni. The two servants of God said they didn't know the whereabouts of Guliat Tabuni.
The Kopassus members did not accept their answer. "They were then asked to pray, but while they were praying, she was shot and her child escaped despite being seriously wounded after being shot in the head," Jefry said.
On hearing the shots, Jefry said, Guliat Tabuni immediately went to the location where the shots were fired and put up resistance. Separated by only five metres, Guliat Tabuni and the Kopassus troops shot it out and eventually one Kopassus member suffered light wounds.
Then on 15 September at 1400 local time there was a meeting between the TNI and religious and community leaders. This incident was discussed at the meeting.
After Jefry Pagawa talked at length, the second opportunity to speak was given to a Bintang Mountain leader Socrates Sofyan Yoman, who had just returned from Puncak Jaya.
Socrates said Guliat Tabuni had come to Mulia for several reasons. Firstly, he wanted to see his parent's grave and secondly he wanted to stop tree felling in his village where the forest is protected from logging.
"The Regent knew of his arrival through the District Chief Arnolus Tabuni who is used as a courier for meetings with Guliat Tabuni. The Regent told Guliat not to create disturbances and the security authorities got wind of this information," Socrates said.
On 14 September, Socrates said, Priest Elisa Tabuni – who is known in her village as a churh official – was organizing the seven members of the congregation shot. "I don't want to accuse those who did it, but I have proof," Socrates said.
Another incident, according to Socrates, occurred on 16 October when two members of Kopassus met the local chief, took the rope used to tie up Priest Elisa Tabuni for evidence, then interrogated [him] until 12 midnight and told [him] not to say it was Kopassus who murdered them. "Her child was the one who informed me. It's better for us to be honest, open with each other and appreciate each other," Socrates said.
As a result of this incident, residents have stopped worshipping at 22 churches as they have fled to the forest. In addition, it was also reported that members of TNI/Police (Mobile Brigade) shot around eight pigs and then sold them.
"We very much regret the Papua Regional Police Chief, Inspector General GM Timbul Silaen, who refused to hold a triangle synod due to security reasons," Socrates said.
According to the Trikora Commander, the gun battle between the task force and TPN/OPM [National Liberation Army/Free Papua Movement] on 14 September began in August 2004 when the TNI detected a TPN/OPM group led by Guliat Tabuni in Lima Jari Village, Tinggi Nambut District, Puncak Jaya Regency.
After learning of their whereabouts, on 17 August 2004 a TNI task force undertook reconnaissance patrols in Tinggi Nambut District near Kampong Gurage, Lima Jari Village. At this time there was a gun battle and one soldier, Private First Class Oji, was evacuated to Jayapura and then Jakarta.
After the gun battle, a task force on patrol in Kampong Monia, Lima Jari Village on 14 September 2004 at 0630 led by Captain Erina Sohi carried out security in a box formation.
"This was done due to information that the TPN/OPM group was near two high locations. Legislation states that TNI has the duty of facing armed separatist groups. However before this, an investigation was done to determine whether it was the TPN/OPM there," he said.
At the time, Major General Nurdin Zainal said, members of the task force had got close to the location and were in box formation. Yet a person then went past who said he was a church official [literally: herder] and the Military District Commander ordered his officers to arrest the suspicious person close to Guliat Tabuni's position.
"He was not killed when arrested, but detained. At the same time, a youth was [also] arrested carrying books on Papuan independence," he said.
Based on this situation, the team commander thought his troop's movements had been detected by the opposing forces and that it was dangerous. Thus it was decided to retreat and the troops could no longer conduct investigations.
When they were retreating, MajGen Nurdin Zainal said, there was a gun battle and the team commander's suspicions that the patrol had been detected by the opposing forces turned out to be correct.
"During the gun battle, one of my soldiers was shot, then according to the Military District Commander's observations Priest Elisa Tabuni was also shot. This type of situation forced our troops to seek safety and so we could not evacuate the wounded Elisa Tabuni," Maj-Gen Nurdin Zainal said.
Maj-Gen Nurdin Zainal also said that he received a letter from the Puncak Jaya Regent to the DPRD for TNI/Police to evacuate a victim. "I gave the order not to deploy troops first. I asked the Regent and community leaders with the assistance of the police to negotiate with TPN/OPM to evacuate the victim, however this failed as TPN/OPM obstructed us by saying the corpse had been burnt," Maj-Gen Nurdin Zainal said.
[From BBC Monitoring Service.]