Ties between Indonesia and the United States were strained by the incident and only improved after they agreed to collaborate in solving the case, which initially sparked suspicions the Indonesian military was involved. After previous failed attempts to bring lead defendant Antonius Wamang to court in recent weeks, prosecutors indicted him for premeditated murder, a felony carrying a possible death sentence. Trials on similar charges began separately for six accused accomplices of Wamang, a Papuan separatist. The prosecution said he and other gunmen were near Freeport's Grasberg mine in late August 2002, under orders from Papuan separatist commander Kelly Kwalik to attack Indonesian soldiers who were part of the mine's security detail.
The mine is believed to hold the world's third-largest copper reserves and one of the biggest gold deposits. Its copper output in 2005 was 793,000 tonnes, with gold production at 3.55 million ounces. The Grasberg mining operation has been a lightning rod for controversy of many kinds. Environmentalists, with recent support from the government, say the company has not done all it could to protect forests and rivers. Other activists object to payments for security made to Indonesia's military.
Prosecutor Anita Asterida told the Central Jakarta court that Wamang thought white cars passing through the mining area carried troops and decided to open fire. In fact, the two vehicles were transporting Americans and Indonesians who worked for a Freeport-run school. Three people were killed in the shooting and four others were seriously injured, Asterida said. She said the gunmen then shot at three trucks, wounding the drivers of each vehicle. Wamang had "committed acts with intent and premeditation that robbed other people's lives", Asterida said. Wamang was indicted by a U.S. federal grand jury in 2004 on two counts of murder and several counts of attempted murder over the killings.
The seven defendants refused to obey two previous court summons, arguing they should be tried in Papua not in the Indonesian capital, and last week judges had to order the prosecutors to present them to court using all means necessary. On Tuesday, Wamang first told the court: "I don't want to be tried in Jakarta but am willing to go on trial in Papua." He then joined around 20 of his supporters sitting in the gallery. However, police escorted him back to the defendant's chair where he sat silent until the end of the session.
A defence lawyer told Reuters Wamang was involved in the incident although felt no guilt while the rest were innocent. The shootings prompted Washington to demand Jakarta prosecute the people behind the Papua killings if Indonesia wanted the resumption of military ties.
Those relations were severed in reaction to Indonesian military actions in East Timor in the 1990s when Jakarta occupied the tiny territory. Last November, Washington restored military ties with Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, as a reward for its help in the U.S.-led war on terrorism and after expressing satisfaction with cooperation in the Papua case.
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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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