Indonesia to take firm action against separatist OPM

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(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-08-13 13:20

JAKARTA -- The Indonesian government will always stick to its stand to take firm measures against two sympathizers of the outlawed separatist Free Papua Organization (OPM) despite the US Congress request for their release, a senior official said.

"We will always push through the legal process and each country must respect other nation's legal process in the current era of democratic transparency, which is free from other government's influence or intervention," Antara news agency Wednesday quoted Foreign Minister Hasan Wirajuda as saying here.

The minister said the US government has reiterated its support for Indonesia's integrity. Only a few US Congressmen expressed support for and concern about the OPM sympathizers.

On July 29, 40 US Congressmen sent a letter to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage, who were sentenced to 15 years and 10 years in jail respectively in May 2005 for hoisting the OPM's "Bintang Kejora" (Morning Star) flag in Abepura, Papua, on December 1, 2004.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo Adi Sutjipto once again asked the US government to respect the efforts made by Jakarta to handle all issues in Papua province.

Speaking to the press on Tuesday after addressing a seminar on security strategy prior to the 2009 general elections, the minister said the government fully left the case of two sympathizers of outlawed separatist OPM -- Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage-- to the independent law-enforcing agency.

"We are trying to give the Papua government and people a greater role in developing themselves to lead a better life in the future," he said.