2) Island in focus: Papua police seize ammunition, firearms -
3) Seta claims innocence in Freeport scandal
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http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/05/govt-considers-amnesty-request-papuan-separatists.html
1) Govt considers amnesty request from Papuan separatists
thejakartapost.com | National | Fri, February 05 2016, 2:16 PM -
The government will consider a request for an amnesty and living assistance from 10 former members of a Papuan separatist group known as the Free Papua Movement (OPM).
If granting amnesty was deemed a peaceful resolution and persuasive of separatist groups to allow a ceasefire, then the government may fulfil the request, said Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Panjaitan in Jakarta on Friday.
"We will see. If the request is a solution, the President himself will grant it," Luhut said as quoted by tribunnews.com.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo gave an instruction in January to prioritize a soft approach in addressing separatism, instead of a hard approach involving force and firearms.
In an attempt to create peace in regions of conflict, Luhut said, the government would begin to adopt a more holistic approach that involved various measures, such as engaging in negotiation and dialogue, in order to realize a lasting peace.
"Peace is holistic; it can't stand alone. Until now [efforts] have been partial, but now we want to be holistic,” Luhut said, adding that any solution for former separatists who had surrendered would be made in accordance with the law and its limitations.
Luhut, however, said that he was aware of rebel groups that would end their fighting to obtain amnesty.
Last week, 10 former members of the OPM met with National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Sutiyoso in Jakarta to ask for an amnesty and living assistance such as public housing from the government. Sutiyoso said the local administration of Papua itself had already made plans regarding their requests.
In May 2015, during Jokowi's second visit to Papua, the President granted clemency to five prisoners as part of efforts to foster peace in the province.
At the time, Jokowi called on security personnel to promote dialogue with Papuan people to build mutual trust, in order to change the repressive security approach to a development and welfare approach.
The government said it was also preparing an amnesty requested by former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) combatant Nurdin bin Ismail, popularly known as Din Minimi, and his group members, following their surrender in late December, 2015. (afr/bbn)(+)
If granting amnesty was deemed a peaceful resolution and persuasive of separatist groups to allow a ceasefire, then the government may fulfil the request, said Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Panjaitan in Jakarta on Friday.
"We will see. If the request is a solution, the President himself will grant it," Luhut said as quoted by tribunnews.com.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo gave an instruction in January to prioritize a soft approach in addressing separatism, instead of a hard approach involving force and firearms.
In an attempt to create peace in regions of conflict, Luhut said, the government would begin to adopt a more holistic approach that involved various measures, such as engaging in negotiation and dialogue, in order to realize a lasting peace.
"Peace is holistic; it can't stand alone. Until now [efforts] have been partial, but now we want to be holistic,” Luhut said, adding that any solution for former separatists who had surrendered would be made in accordance with the law and its limitations.
Luhut, however, said that he was aware of rebel groups that would end their fighting to obtain amnesty.
Last week, 10 former members of the OPM met with National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Sutiyoso in Jakarta to ask for an amnesty and living assistance such as public housing from the government. Sutiyoso said the local administration of Papua itself had already made plans regarding their requests.
In May 2015, during Jokowi's second visit to Papua, the President granted clemency to five prisoners as part of efforts to foster peace in the province.
At the time, Jokowi called on security personnel to promote dialogue with Papuan people to build mutual trust, in order to change the repressive security approach to a development and welfare approach.
The government said it was also preparing an amnesty requested by former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) combatant Nurdin bin Ismail, popularly known as Din Minimi, and his group members, following their surrender in late December, 2015. (afr/bbn)(+)
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Note. In yesterdays JP The OPM has denied that hundreds of rounds of ammunition, firearms and explosives confiscated by police during a raid on Wednesday night belonged to the organisation and have accused the authorities of staging the arms find. OPM spokesman Saul J. Bomay said the OPM did not have the funds to purchase such an amount of weaponry.
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2) Island in focus: Papua police seize ammunition, firearms -
The Jakarta Post, Jayapura | Archipelago | Fri, February 05 2016, 3:20 PM -
Police on Wednesday seized ammunition, two government-issued firearms and an airsoft gun from two houses in Sentani, Jayapura regency, Papua.
“We raided two houses and found hundreds of rounds of ammunition, two firearms and an airsoft gun,” Jayapura Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Sondang Siagian told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
The raids were conducted between 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. local time after police had received information that the houses were used to stash ammunition and firearms.
A student identified only as RS was arrested on Tuesday for carrying firearms. Questioning of the student indicated that people carrying firearms and ammunition often stayed at the two houses.
“The house owners, Werius Enumbi, Dorce Enumbi and Simson Tabuni, are currently being investigated for possible connections to the contraband,” said Sounding. -
“We raided two houses and found hundreds of rounds of ammunition, two firearms and an airsoft gun,” Jayapura Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Sondang Siagian told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
The raids were conducted between 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. local time after police had received information that the houses were used to stash ammunition and firearms.
A student identified only as RS was arrested on Tuesday for carrying firearms. Questioning of the student indicated that people carrying firearms and ammunition often stayed at the two houses.
“The house owners, Werius Enumbi, Dorce Enumbi and Simson Tabuni, are currently being investigated for possible connections to the contraband,” said Sounding. -
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3) Seta claims innocence in Freeport scandal
Fedina S. Sundaryani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Headlines | Fri, February 05 2016, 6:10 PM
Former House of Representatives speaker Setya Novanto has maintained that he played no part in an alleged conspiracy involving gold and copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia (Freeport).
Following a seven-hour questioning session conducted by investigators from the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) in South Jakarta on Thursday, Setya denied that he had promised to help with the extension of Freeport’s mining contract, set to expire in 2021, in exchange for shares in the company.
“What is clear is that I never asked for any shares and never abused the President or Vice-President’s name. Such accusations are untrue. Everything now is in the hands of the investigators, to whom I have already told everything,” he told reporters on Thursday.
Setya resigned last month from his leadership position at the House to avoid political embarrassment after a report filed by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said to the House’s ethics council accused the former speaker of involvement in the conspiracy.
A recorded conversation Sudirman submitted along with the report gave details of a meeting Setya had with then Indonesia president director of Freeport Maroef Sjamsoeddin and tycoon Riza Chalid.
A voice believed to be that of Setya’s was heard asking for an 11 percent share for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and a nine percent share for Vice President Jusuf Kalla.
Setya also said that he was ready to meet a future summons from prosecutors.
“Yes, I am always prepared [for another summons],” he said.
On Monday, House Commission III overseeing legal affairs established a working committee to assist the AGO’s investigation into Setya with Democratic Party lawmaker Benny K. Harman serving as its chairman.
Benny said the committee would not interfere with the criminal investigation already being conducted by the AGO, and would instead oversee how the AGO would handle the conspiracy case.
Meanwhile, the AGO’s junior attorney for special crimes Arminsyah said that Setya had confirmed during the questioning session that a meeting with Maroef and Riza had occurred but the senior Golkar politician continued to deny that the voice on the recording was his.
“Setya denied that it was his voice on that recording, and it’s within his rights to do so. We are still looking for other evidence and we have already asked an expert from the Bandung Institute of Technology [ITB] to analyze the recording and see if it matches with Maroef’s testimony,” he said, referring to Maroef’s confirmation at a prior questioning session that the voice on the recording was that of Setya’s.
Arminsyah said that based on findings from the forensics expert, there was no doubt that Setya’s voice was the voice heard on the recording.
Although the AGO’s preliminary investigation has led prosecutors to believe that a conspiracy did occur during the meeting, Arminsyah acknowledged that they had yet to gather enough evidence to move forward with the investigation and name suspects.
“We need at least two pieces of evidence [before we name a suspect] and at present we only have one and that is Maroef’s testimony. We will be more resolute once we collect all the evidence,” he said.
Arminsyah said that Setya had asked to leave the questioning session early on Thursday because he had to leave for West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) to join a Golkar Party meeting there.
“He will be questioned again either on Tuesday or Wednesday,” he said, adding that Setya had pledged to attend the next session.
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Following a seven-hour questioning session conducted by investigators from the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) in South Jakarta on Thursday, Setya denied that he had promised to help with the extension of Freeport’s mining contract, set to expire in 2021, in exchange for shares in the company.
“What is clear is that I never asked for any shares and never abused the President or Vice-President’s name. Such accusations are untrue. Everything now is in the hands of the investigators, to whom I have already told everything,” he told reporters on Thursday.
Setya resigned last month from his leadership position at the House to avoid political embarrassment after a report filed by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said to the House’s ethics council accused the former speaker of involvement in the conspiracy.
A recorded conversation Sudirman submitted along with the report gave details of a meeting Setya had with then Indonesia president director of Freeport Maroef Sjamsoeddin and tycoon Riza Chalid.
A voice believed to be that of Setya’s was heard asking for an 11 percent share for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and a nine percent share for Vice President Jusuf Kalla.
Setya also said that he was ready to meet a future summons from prosecutors.
“Yes, I am always prepared [for another summons],” he said.
On Monday, House Commission III overseeing legal affairs established a working committee to assist the AGO’s investigation into Setya with Democratic Party lawmaker Benny K. Harman serving as its chairman.
Benny said the committee would not interfere with the criminal investigation already being conducted by the AGO, and would instead oversee how the AGO would handle the conspiracy case.
Meanwhile, the AGO’s junior attorney for special crimes Arminsyah said that Setya had confirmed during the questioning session that a meeting with Maroef and Riza had occurred but the senior Golkar politician continued to deny that the voice on the recording was his.
“Setya denied that it was his voice on that recording, and it’s within his rights to do so. We are still looking for other evidence and we have already asked an expert from the Bandung Institute of Technology [ITB] to analyze the recording and see if it matches with Maroef’s testimony,” he said, referring to Maroef’s confirmation at a prior questioning session that the voice on the recording was that of Setya’s.
Arminsyah said that based on findings from the forensics expert, there was no doubt that Setya’s voice was the voice heard on the recording.
Although the AGO’s preliminary investigation has led prosecutors to believe that a conspiracy did occur during the meeting, Arminsyah acknowledged that they had yet to gather enough evidence to move forward with the investigation and name suspects.
“We need at least two pieces of evidence [before we name a suspect] and at present we only have one and that is Maroef’s testimony. We will be more resolute once we collect all the evidence,” he said.
Arminsyah said that Setya had asked to leave the questioning session early on Thursday because he had to leave for West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) to join a Golkar Party meeting there.
“He will be questioned again either on Tuesday or Wednesday,” he said, adding that Setya had pledged to attend the next session.
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