[Kabar-indonesia] Papua tribe holds ritual in step toward peace

[JoyoNews at aol.com]

The Jakarta Post
Wednesday, August 2, 2006

Tribe holds ritual in step toward peace 

Markus Makur, The Jakarta Post, Timika

Relatives of one of the victims of a bloody weeklong tribal conflict in 
Mimika regency, Papua, performed a ritual Tuesday to prepare for the opening of 
peace negotiations.

The stone-burning ceremony led by the family of Leon Mom was attended by 
Damal tribal leaders, including the chief. At least 10 have died and dozens of 
others have been injured in the clashes between Damal and Dani tribe members. 

Hostilities broke out last week after a child of the Dani tribe drowned while 
under the supervision of a relative from the Damal tribe. In traditional 
tribal disputes in Mimika, the family of the victims holds the right to call a 
cessation to the fighting. 

Leon's family decided to end the fighting Monday. 

"This constitutes the initial step toward peace negotiations with the 
opponents," Elminus Mom, acting in his capacity as head of the warring group and 
Damal chief, said during the ceremony at Kwamki Lama village. 

The second step, he said, would be a meeting between the family members and 
all the tribe members, while the third was a meeting between members of the 
victims' families from the two tribes, as well as the war chiefs. 

It would allow for the reaching of an agreement, including setting 
compensation for the deaths incurred on both sides. 

The final step in cementing peace would consist of the cutting of arrows and 
bows' strings by the commanders of the tribes' warring groups and the tribal 
chiefs to signify peace. 

It is usually followed by a communal stone-burning ceremony attended by 
members of the two tribes. 

A sense of cooperation and harmony was evident Tuesday, with housewives of 
the Damal tribe assisted by male tribe members preparing stones and digging a 
hole to store three slaughtered pigs and hundreds of chickens. 

The meat was eaten at the ceremony amid singing and dancing. 

Papua Police crime and detective unit chief Sr. Comr. Paulus Waterpauw, 
accompanied by Mimika Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Jantje Jimmy Tuilan, Mimika 
Military Command's Lt. Col. Gustav A and Mimika Police Mobile Brigade Commander 
Comr. Abu Bakar Tertusi, discussed the situation with Elminus and Damal tribal 
elder David Wanikbo. 

Waterpauw said their aspirations would be conveyed to representatives of the 
Dani tribe and the government. He hoped there would be no further actions that 
provoked a continuation of the conflict. 

"We want cooperation and assistance from tribal leaders and war chiefs toward 
a peace agreement which is badly needed to help restore security," Waterpauw 
said. 

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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