Free West Papua Rebels Deny Freeport Contractor Killings

By Rich Bowden

Img: Morning Star, the flag of the Free West Papua Movement.

A representative of the Free West Papua Movement (OPM) has denied members of his organisation were responsible for for the recent killings at the giant Grasberg gold and copper mine in Indonesia's Papua province. The news comes as the doctor performing the autopsy has suggested bullets may have been removed from the crime scene.

John Ondawame, tribal chief and exiled leader of the Free Papua Movement, denied OPM involvement in the weekend deaths of three employees of the mining giant Freeport McMoRan which operates the giant mine during an interview with Radio Australia Monday.

"Not at all, OPM [is] not involved in this attack as we recognise, we know that OPM have been involved in the earlier days 8th of July, in peaceful activities, raising the West Papua flag around the area. That happened in the two days before the killing of the Melbourne man, the Australian friend who was injured and killed," he said.

Ondawane went on to accuse Indonesian authorities of committing the crimes and attempting to blame his organisation.

"Exactly...the same history [has] been repeated when in the election 2002 case they blame the OPM to take the responsibility, but in fact the military of Indonesia was responsible for the killing."

Kelly Kwalik, who is the local leader of the OPM, has also denied involvement in the weekend attacks.

Meanwhile the doctor charged with performing the autopsy on Australian Drew Grant who was killed in the first of the attacks has claimed that evidence may have been removed from the scene.

Dr Abdul Mun'im Idries, who conducted the autopsy in the presence of Australian officials, said bullets may have been taken from Mr Grant's body prior to the examination in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta.

He refused to speculate on the reasons for the alleged manipulation of the crime scene and would not confirm if the bullets were of military grade though said metal casings were found which would be consistent with military ammunition.

Indonesian authorities also confirmed the finding of the body of a police officer in nearby jungle who had fled a second attack on a vehicle, the day after the death of Mr Grant.

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Second Death Reported Near Indonesia's Grasberg Mine

By Rich Bowden

Img: Grasberg gold and copper mine. Credit: Alfindra Primaldhi

Indonesian law enforcement officials have confirmed that a security guard working at the giant Grasberg mine has been killed, one day after Australian Drew Grant was shot in an apparent ambush.

Twenty-nine-year-old Grant, worked for the US mining company Freeport McMoRan, the operator of the mine in the Indonesian province of West Papua which has been a cause for conflict with West Papuan separatist forces.

The second Freeport employee to be killed was named as Markus Ratealo by local media reports however there are claims it is unclear whether separatist forces or Indonesian law enforcement were to blame for the latest attack.

Australian Foreign Minister told reporters he had received assurances from Indonesian police that they are treating the deaths as a "matter of urgency" and an inquiry into the circumstances was underway.

"The Indonesian police have advised Australian officials that they are treating this matter as a high priority investigation," the minister said.

He added that Indonesian authorities had requested the help of Australian police in the investigation.

"That investigation has commenced by the Indonesian national police and [they] have requested the Australian Federal police to provide officers to Papua to assist in the investigation."

The minister said as a consequence of the request two Australian Federal police officers have arrived in Papua from Jakarta to assist in the investigation.

The ABC quoted Victor Yeimo, the chairman of the West Papua National Committee, as confirming that separatist activity was being carried out in the area at the time of Mr Drew's death.

"Yes, in the area where Drew was, it's clear that OPM did an attack in that area," he said.

"But it's unclear whether they hit Drew's car or not because that was not the only place where they did the attacks."

"They attacked in other places too, but far from Drew's car, so it's not clear whether the shots could hit Drew or not."

However some independent allegations have been raised over the possibility of the involvement of Indonesia's mobile police brigade (Brimob) in the killings as the company is considering replacing the brigade with private contractors, reports the ABC's AM program.

The Australian newspaper is reporting that Mr Grant's car had been sprayed with police or military-style weapons.

"It's clear they (the attackers) were using weapons belonging to the police or the military," the newspaper quoted Papua police chief Major General Ekodanto as saying.

"He was shot five times in the neck, chest and stomach from a distance of 25m. We're still investigating the case."

However the major general refused to speculate on a possible motivation for the attack.

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