Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Papuan activist’s daughter allegedly kidnapped by security force-linked group

Posted at 01:47 on 01 October, 2007 UTC

The 17-year-old daughter of a prominent activist in Indonesia’s Papua region has reportedly has been kidnapped, drugged and assaulted by a group linked to Indonesian security forces.

The Melbourne Age newspaper reports that Yane Waromi, the daughter of Edison Waromi, was reportedly abducted on the outskirts of Papua’s capital, Jayapura, after getting in a car that she thought was a taxi.

According to human rights workers, she was then drugged, taken to a house and abused.

Mr Waromi, who heads the West Papua National Authority, has reportedly been receiving death threats.

His daughter was reportedly found semi-conscious near a stream after the 18-hour ordeal.

The newspaper says analysts believe the attacks are a response to activists holding sensitive talks about forming a unified front to negotiate West Papuan rights with Indonesia.