Pepera Front Disputes Involvement in Abepura Incident
Friday, 10 November, 2006 | 16:41 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jayapura: many as 23 defendants and convicts of the case on March 16 in Abepura, Papua, disputed that the clash was coordinated by the People’s Front of Struggle (Pepera) of West Papua.

“Some (people) use our name when committing an anarchistic act,” said Selpius Boby, Secretary General of West Papua Pepera in Jayapura.

According to him, some people want to stop Pepera’s efforts in radically fighting for Papuan people’s rights including the closure of PT Freeport Indonesia in Tembagapura.

However, Pepera was not involved in the clash which was started by the demonstration of university students and organizations of students, youth and the public.

The clash took place when the residents’ demonstration urging the closure of Freeport caused several police officers to die and many people injured.

Yahya Echo, Head of Port Numbay Pepera, hopes the Papua Regional Police Chief, Papua High Court and the central government recover their reputation.

“We’re the victims of political conspiracy,” he said. The prisoners also appealed the verdict of the Jayapura District Court.

Cunding Levi