Jayapura – Victor Yeimo, the international spokesperson of the KNPB, the National Committee of West Papua, has announced that members of the KNPB will soon be surrendering enmasse to the police in Papua.

He said that they are absolutely convinced that the series of violent actions that have occurred in Jayapura were nothing to do with the KNPB. He said that the series of shootings and acts of violence were part of a big scenario the mastermind of which is not yet known.

This is why the KNPB has decided to put pressure on the police to investigate these incidents that were the work of "mysterious" or unknown people {referred to now across Papua by the acronym "OTK" [Orang Terlatih Khusus or Specially Trained People].

"The police need to investigate this As yet, they have not be able to say who was responsible and have not made any arrests. The KNPB suspects hat this is all part of a huge scenario by the state authorities which has quite deliberately been stirred up by the police and the military," said Yeimo

With regard to the shooting of Mako Tabuni, this was a violation of the law of the land. "If the state has respect for human beings the case of Mako would have been handled according to due process, and not resulted in loss of life."

He went on to say that the shooting of Mako Tabuni is clear evidence that the law here in this country does not side with the Papuan people. There are no grounds whatever for allegations that the KNPB was responsible. Such activities are not part of the policy of the KNPB which has from the very start declared its intention to struggle along with the Papuan people in accordance with the principle of respect for human life and has totally rejected the path of violence.

This is why all members of the KNPB will gather together and surrender to the police. The KNPB is not a terrorist organisation. If it were to be proven that someone from the KNPB was indeed involved, this would be in order to stigmatize the organisation which is waging a struggle for independence and for a referendum. "This is why we will be surrendering in the near future," he said, without mentioning any date.

[Translated by TAPOL.]