Kyodo
December 5, 2000

JAKARTA - Police detained a priest and four other local leaders on suspicion of separatist activities in Indonesia's easternmost province Papua, the state-run news agency Antara reported Tuesday.

Antara said the Rev. Herman Awom and the four other leaders were detained Monday night in the provincial capital Jayapura after Indonesian government pledged to crackdown on any separatist sentiment in the troubled province.

Since early last week, just ahead of the commemoration of the Dec. 1, 1961 declaration of independence for Papua, police have detained a number of independence leaders.

The detainees include pro-independence Papuan Presidium Council Chairman Theys Elluay, his secretary general Thaha Al-Hamid, Don Flassy, the man behind the concept of Papuan independence, and former political prisoner John Mambor.

Under Indonesia's criminal code, people found guilty of separatist activities can be put to death.

In Jakarta, Indonesian Police Chief Gen. Bimantoro said that police will continue to process their cases in accordance with Indonesian law.

"They are not going to be freed," he said, adding police have collected "strong evidence" of their illegal activities in the resource-rich province.

At least eight people were killed Saturday in clashes between police and separatists when authorities forcibly lowered a "Morning Star" separatist flag in the southeastern Papuan town Meurauke.

Police and the military in Jayapura also occupied a building suspected to be used as a separatist headquarters and detained 30 people before dawn Sunday on suspicion of anti-government activities.

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