Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Concern that Papua killings will be manipulated by Indonesia

Posted at 20:07 on 22 February, 2013 UTC

There are concerns that the killing of soldiers in Papua province will be used to gain international support for increased military aggression in Indonesia’s eastern region.

Eight Indonesian soldiers are reported to have died in two separate attacks in Puncak Jaya.

The US-based Octo Mote, who is part of a group of exiled West Papuans promoting dialogue with Jakarta, says Indonesian security forces have staged such attacks in the past in order to create instability.

However he cannot rule out that the separatist OPM’s military wing is to blame for the killings.

“Regardless of how many military personnel were killed in this kind of attack, the Indonesian government and especially the military will use this incident to gain their political and military agenda where you get the support from all these western countries, support for Indonesia’s war on terror.”

Octo Mote