Audrey Santoso, Jayapura – Police say that Victor Yeimo, the actor behind the riots in Papua two years ago, is in contact with lawyer and human rights activist Veronica Koman, who is in Australia, and is supplying her with data.
"Meanwhile there is an investigation into this because they have both been reporting things that are incorrect about Papua. The person concerned (Victor Yeimo) is taking data from the KNPB, then sharing it with Veronica Koman who is in Australian. So it is like he's supplying data to Veronica Koman", said Papua regional police chief Inspector General Mathius Fakhiri in Jayapura city on Tuesday May 11.
Police are still questioning the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) spokesperson and want to delve into the parties backing the KNPB financially.
"We want to examine the flow of funds to this organisation (the KNPB). Including for their action at the Papua governor's office in 2019. We are looking into who supplied the funds", he explained.
Fakhiri said that Yeimo and Koman attended a human rights hearing at the United Nations in Switzerland in 2019. During the meeting the two spoke about the Papuan people's right to freedom of expression and self-determination.
The Nemangkawi Law Enforcement Task Force (Gakkum Nemangkawi) arrested Yeimo on May 9 in Jayapura, Papua province.
"The Satgas Gakkum Nemangkawi have succeeded in arresting a [fugitive on the] DPO [wanted persons list], the actor [behind] the 2019 Papua riots, Victor Yeimo. He was arrested today on May 9 at 7.15 pm local time in Jayapura", Satgas Nemangkawi spokesperson Senior Commissioner Iqbal Alqudussy told Detik.com on Sunday May 9.
Yeimo was put on the wanted persons list in 2019. He is suspected of committing makar (treason, subversion, rebellion) and or broadcasting a report or releasing information that could give rise to public unrest. (aud/idh)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Polda Papua Ungkap Viktor Yeimo Suplai Data Tak Benar ke Veronica Koman".]