[Kabar-Irian] Irian News - 8/15/05 (Part 2 of 2)

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- Washington is neglecting a new friend
- Transcript from Dateline (on Vanuatu & Papua)
- Melanesian Spearhead Group to meet in Goroka
- Melanesian leaders to discuss creating a regional security force
- Police detain budding photographer
- Hot stone feast highlights Papua Independence Day celebrations
- Mining for a pot of gold
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International Herald Tribune
Washington is neglecting a new friend
By Stanley A. Weiss, International Herald Tribune
Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Jakarta - 'Indonesia is not a country," Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono
told me, "it's a happening." As a regular visitor here for two decades,
I've long admired the dynamism and diversity of 225 million people
comprising 300 ethnic groups, speaking 500 languages and dialects, spread
across 17,000 islands.

Still, on my first visit since last year's devastating tsunami, I've been
startled by the new mood of optimism among political, business and
military leaders here. After decades of dictatorship and years of
political and economic drift, the world's third-largest democracy finally
seems poised to realize its potential.

There's genuine hope that the peace agreement signed in Helsinki on Monday
between Jakarta and Acehnese rebels may finally end the fighting that has
killed 15,000 in the province since 1976.

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the country's first directly elected president,
remains popular for his "pro-growth, pro-poor, pro-employment" and
anticorruption agenda.

Although still rebounding from the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, the
Indonesian economy is defying expectations with 6 percent growth so far
this year.

In a recent poll, 81 percent of Indonesians described their quality of
life as "good" or "very good." This, in a country where December's tsunami
killed 130,000, where 40 million are chronically unemployed, and where 110
million subsist on under $2 per day.

If Indonesia succeeds as a prosperous democracy, this strategically
located archipelago with the world's largest Muslim population promises
enormous political, economic and security dividends for the entire world.
Alternatively, Indonesia can simply stumble along, proving - as Charles de
Gaulle said of Brazil - that it has "great potential, and it always will."

Indonesia's neighbors are not taking that chance. Six years after
Australian-led UN troops battled Indonesian-backed militias in East Timor,
Australia's ambassador, David Ritchie, says that relations between
Canberra and Jakarta have "never been better."

China is getting over its own dark history with Indonesia, which has often
treated its small Chinese minority business class as a scapegoat. After a
failed Communist coup in 1965, tens of thousands of ethnic Chinese were
slaughtered and Jakarta severed ties with Beijing for a quarter-century.
During deadly anti-government riots in 1998, an estimated 100,000
Chinese-Indonesians fled the country .

This spring, however, Beijing and Jakarta unveiled a new strategic
partnership, bringing together the world's second-largest consumer of oil
and one of the world's largest producers of oil and liquefied natural gas.
Last month in Beijing, Yudhoyono secured a Chinese pledge to invest $7.5
billion in new oil, gas, coal and railway projects.

But while neighbors like China and Australia are paying attention to
Indonesia, refusing to let old disagreements obscure common strategic
interests, America risks squandering the good will it engendered here for
its tsunami relief efforts. Congressional neglect toward Indonesia has
gone from benign to malign. Indonesians are still enraged by a vote of the
House international relations committee in June questioning the
circumstances of Papua's 1969 integration with Indonesia.

In the Senate, a few members continue to oppose the Bush administration's
attempt to restore full military ties with Indonesia. Despite personal
appeals to senators by Yudhoyono and Sudarsono, the $800,000 requested by
the Bush administration to train Indonesian officers next year under the
International Military Education and Training program may never see the
light of day.

Indonesians tell me they don't understand the selective self-righteousness
of U.S. politicians who deny their struggling democracy access to a small
program to help professionalize their military while throwing billions of
dollars in military support to serial human rights abusers like Saudi
Arabia, Egypt and Pakistan.

In addition, many here see the U.S. "war on terrorism" as a war on Islam.
It's easy to see why more Indonesians have a positive view of China (73
percent) than the United States (38 percent), according to the Pew
Research Center.

At the White House this spring, Yudhoyono told the story of an American
student who sent a letter to a child in tsunami-ravaged Aceh, along with a
bracelet used to raise donations for victims. The young girl from Aceh
replied, "I am so glad you are paying attention to us here." She would
wear the bracelet, she wrote, "to remind me that I have new friend."

Perhaps she should send her bracelet to politicians in Washington who
don't seem to realize what others in Asia already know. America has a new
friend in Indonesia, and it's time to pay attention.
-- (Stanley A. Weiss is founder and chairman of Business Executives for
National Security, a nonpartisan group based in Washington. This is a
personal comment.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://news.sbs.com.au/dateline/
SBS
Transcript from Dateline
Archives - August 10, 2005

Vanuatu
Of all the independence movements in this part of the world, the struggle
of the West Papuans has been not only the loneliest, but also the most
unreported. Since officially becoming part of Indonesia back in 1969, only
one country, Vanuatu, has consistently raised the plight of the West
Papuans at the international level. But that may be about to change.
Indonesia's launched a diplomatic offensive aimed at "encouraging" Vanuatu
to soften its pro-West Papuan stance and it's already created quite a stir
among Vanuatu's politicians. Mark Davis went there for this next report.

REPORTER: Mark Davis

It's a year of celebrations in Vanuatu as the country marks its 25th
anniversary of independence. But today is an annual highlight of the
social calendar in Port Vila, the Queen's birthday at the British High
Com.

MAN: I've been here since 1969 and I've been to most of the parties since
1969 with the exception of the last three years when I've been rather ill.

Sick or not, few would miss this year's party. It will be the last one -
the British are leaving Vanuatu.

WOMAN: I cried already and I'm going to cry when the flag goes down. You
see, I got my MBE from the Queen.

MAN 2: And this is probably the saddest day of my life.

You wouldn't believe the day would come when the British flag would come
down?

WOMAN: No, I wouldn't and I blame bloody Tony Blair.

MAN 3: As for Elizabeth and me, we're exchanging an island in the Pacific
for an island in the Atlantic as we move on from here to the Escutcheon
Islands.

For such an aid-reliant country, the closure of the British High Com is a
reflective moment for Prime Minister Ham Lini but there are still other
suitors out there. Over the last few years, Australia has tried to take on
the role of the biggest brother with mixed results. The French ambassador
is staying put, intent on retaining influence in the Pacific. The Chinese
ambassador is a keen observer, back in force after Vanuatu briefly flirted
with Taiwan last year. And a new player, Indonesia, is now entering the
game.

MAN: China's moving in, Australia, the Indonesians. But they're not the
same, not the same.

Other countries have an interest here and are moving in - China,
Australia. Other big countries are showing an interest in Vanuatu, do you
welcome them in the same way as you would have welcomed Britain?

MAN: I'll be very frank, no, I don't, I don't.

As the afternoon wears on, some of the diplomatic niceties wear off.
Foreign affairs are taken very seriously here and a controversy has
recently erupted around the issue of West Papua.

For 25 years Vanuatu had supported independence for the West Papuans and
loudly condemned Indonesia as occupiers and killers. More recently, the
welcome mat has been put out for Jakarta, an act which is dividing the
nation and the government.

MAN: He is the one accepting these people. Moana.

You blame Moana?

MAN: Yeah, I blame Moana.

The finance minister, Moana Carcasses, is keen to strengthen ties with
Indonesia and water down Vanuatu's long support for the West Papuans. It
could be a dangerous path for PM Ham Lini. Governments often fall here on
foreign policy issues, and on a more personal level, families divide.

Across is room is his niece, Laura Lini. She isn't speaking to him and
moved out of his house a fortnight ago after he invited an Indonesian
delegation to visit Vanuatu.

LAURA LINI: He knows about what I believe in and it is something that my
family has always believed in.

Laura Lini has become the most vocal opponent of her uncle's new affection
for Indonesia and a founder of the Vanuatu Free West Papua Association.

LAURA LINI: I don't believe that Vanuatu should ever compromise for its
sovereignty to such nations as Indonesia.

Oddly enough, the Indonesian ambassador to Australia, Imron Cotan, is at
the centre of the controversy. In the absence of any formal relationships,
he has become Indonesia's key negotiator in the wooing of the Vanuatu
Government.

In May, demonstrations broke out on the streets of Port Vila when Cotan
led a delegation to meet with the government. His car was stopped and
surrounded in the main street with Laura Lini leading the pack.

LAURA LINI: There was a chief that was there who stopped the car. I took
the West Papuan flag, put it around the car of the ambassador. I opened
the flag and I said that, "Vanuatu does not need you here, go back to
where you come from, Vanuatu people support the cause for independence for
the West Papuan people."

Laura and five others were charged with causing a civil disturbance,
charges which were later dismissed.

LAURA LINI: And I said to the magistrate, "This is who I am - my name is
Laura Lini."

And my address is the Prime Minister's residence?

LAURA LINI: Yes. Yes. And I also told him who my father was and what he
believed in and I also believe in the same thing.

It's no coincidence that emotions are running high on the West Papua issue
in Vanuatu's 25th anniversary year. In the 1970s both West Papua and
Vanuatu were struggling for their independence. Vanuatu got there first
and pledged not to leave West Papua behind.

On July 30, 1980, a new and feisty nation entered the world stage led by
Father Walter Lini. Under Father Walter, this tiny country made a big
splash. It virtually led the nuclear free Pacific movement and championed
the liberation of New Caledonia and West Papua in particular.

Walter Lini, now dead, was the current prime minister's brother and Laura
Lini's father.

LAURA LINI: I think I'm only taking up what my father has left off and I
believe strongly on these issues and I do want to make people know that
these issues are important and they're important for Vanuatu.

No other country has taken up the West Papuan cause like Vanuatu has.
Events like this one have long infuriated Indonesia.

Last December chiefs from every corner of the country gathered to raise
the West Papuan flag and condemn the 1969 annexation of West Papua. But
Vanuatu has caused more grief for Indonesia by being the only country that
has consistently raised the West Papua issue at the UN and other forums.
But that may be about to end.

REPORTER: So West Papuan issue is now a negotiable one with Indonesia?

HAM LINI, PRIME MINISTER: Actually, yes, we can - we believe strongly that
maybe by a good dialogue we can get agreement.

It's an uncomfortable issue for the PM, but his support for West Papua is
now on the bargaining table.

REPORTER: So you are signalling a change in Vanuatu's policy on West Papua?

HAM LINI: Actually we're still will support about West Papua, but how to
handle that maybe can be looked towards a change.

REPORTER: Is there a political risk for the PM and for other members of
their cabinet?

BARAK SOPE,INDEPENDENCE LEADER: Yes, yes, that's an issue that they have
to face in the January election.

Not all members of Ham Lini's government agree with the recent policy
switch. Veteran politician and independence leader Barak Sope is one
minister who believes the West Papua issue is hot enough to bring down the
government.

REPORTER: And this is probably the only country on earth where West Papua
is actually... A domestic issue.

BARAK SOPE: A domestic issue. Yes, it is, it is.

Governments sort of - people get elected.

BARAK SOPE: Because of that, yes.

Which is extraordinary.

BARAK SOPE: Yes, because, I mean, when you go around - when you go out to
the rural areas and people ask us "What is your foreign policy?" And then
when you explain it even if you don't mention it, someone in the audience
will say, "What about the your position on West Papua?"

Because it's part of the election campaign.

If you look at all the platforms of all the parties, I'm sure - West Papua
turns up somewhere. Yes, yeah, it's written black and white.

Independence can be a relative concept. 25 years on from the heady days of
Father Walter Lini, the government relies on foreign aid more than ever,
and Indonesian money is as good as anyone's.

The finance minister, Moanna Carcasses has a practical view on what
Vanuatu can offer donors in return.

MOANNA CARASSES, FINANCE MINISTER: First thing we can offer them is, you
know, we have a voice, important voice in the United Nations, and that's
one thing that we can offer to them and I think Vanuatu has been good
using that weapon, if I may say that, wisely.

Ham Lini doesn't have the firebrand nationalism of his brother, he doesn't
need it. The key skill of any prime minister today is attracting largesse
from international friends. Vanuatu has mastered the art of playing upon
the obsessions and interests of other countries.

The Chinese - fixated on defeating Taiwan in any forum and gaining a
foothold in the Pacific.

The French - fretting about the loss of their language and the possible
loss of more Pacific colonies. Australia - in a panic about failed states
in the Pacific and the possibility of terrorists lurking within them.

The British - still chipping in a little for auld lang syne. The price
asked of Vanuatu is generally fairly painless. But the latest
international suitor, Indonesia, is asking for a much higher price... the
abandonment of a fellow Melanesian people.

MOANNA CARASSES: We have to think about Vanuatu, that's one thing, and I
think the wall are changing, the attitude are changing. In 1980s the
attitude was the colonisation are strong, strong, strong. Now I think they
are changing, the rule is changing at the moment. But we are caring about
our brothers over there.

Until recently Dr John Ondawame has never had any trouble making
connections here. There's no answer. A West Papuan, he moved here two
years ago to lobby Vanuatu full-time to help win back his country's
freedom. But today's task is far less ambitious. He just wants his flag
back, taken by the police when the Indonesian ambassador was in town.

DR. JOHN ONDAWAME: Maybe I go there to the police office to pick up my
flag, Morning Star, but I'm not sure that the officer in charge is gonna
be there.

A member of the outlawed OPM movement in West Papua, he was imprisoned
then exiled in Sweden and 10 years in Australia before coming here.

DR. JOHN ONDAWAME: Many days they have been keeping my flag. Clearly very
mad.

Until recent times the West Papuans have had more success in Vanuatu than
any other place on Earth. But now things have turned frosty. He's a bit
shocked today that he can't even get his flag back. But a tug-of-war over
a flag is a minor part of a much bigger game that's being played.It seems
that Vanuatu is doing more than just playing the West Papuan card to draw
in Indonesian aid. Talks are progressing for Vanuatu to sponsor
Indonesian's entry into two regional associations which have proved most
troublesome to Jakarta in the past.

Discussions between Ambassador Cotan and Moana Carcasses have revolved
around Indonesia becoming a member of the MSG - the association of the
Melanesian nations and the Pacific Islands Forum.

MOANNA CARASSES: So strong that Indonesia should be part of the forum
because it's a part of the Pacific. I don't see why Indonesia shouldn't be
part of it. And because Indonesia is part of Melanesian, because there is
Melanesian there, should be part of MSG.

AMBASSADOR COTAN: The inclusion of West Papua into Indonesia has been
sanctioned by the UN resolution.

Both the Melanesian group and the Pacific Islands Forum is meeting in the
next couple of months and the Vanuatu Government is in the middle of
making its decision on whether it will sponsor Indonesia inside.

Barak Sope is outraged that his government is even talking to Indonesia,
let alone sponsoring them into regional forums and he believes the
majority of cabinet shares his view.

BARAK SOPE: My view of West Papua is for them to get total independence.

REPORTER: This has been the view of Vanuatu for 25 years? You and Father
Walter were always strong on this.

BARAK SOPE: Yes, yes, that's where I won't change now, just because I'm in
a coalition.

Over many years Sope has raised the West Papuan issue at the UN and was a
friend of murdered West Papuan leader Chief Theys Eluay.

BARAK SOPE: Theys came here during 2000 with the delegation and he also
was part of the Vanuatu delegation of the United Nations, the year 2000
and then when he went back he got killed, was killed. So this is why we're
saying how can Indonesia say that they're looking after the West Papuans
while they're killing them?

MOANNA CARASSES: I think Indonesia want first to show that they are not
the beasts that they used to be, there is a change of approach and
attitude. And they come to Vanuatu saying that "We have something to offer
you, we have trade to offer you, commerce, and we can do business
together."

BARAK SOPE: Whatever is coming to Vanuatu from Indonesia is almost
nothing. A few cars, some tractors or something like this.

Are you disappointed then? Are you disappointed?

BARAK SOPE: Yeah, I'm totally disappointed in not receiving - just because
receiving a couple of cars and 200,000 people have - Melanesian people
have been killed for their freedom.

A church function provides a little light relief for Prime Minister Ham
Lini. For the PM and his family, politics, although unspoken today, are
never far away. Laura Lini sits on the other side of the field, away from
the family and resolutely in opposition ever since she confronted
Ambassador Cotan.

HAM LINI: Actually since she took part in that action that was made, she
didn't come back to my house to say anything. I only met her on Saturday
when we were there but we haven't talked about that. But that may be she's
doing what... her father was had a very strong belief on that.

REPORTER: How do you feel about this? Of course Father Lini was your
brother and he was very strong on West Papua, do you feel a family
commitment to this or you think it's time to move on?

HAM LINI: As I said, I think maybe it depends on situation but now maybe
it's time to look differently.

Although she's now lost access to her uncle's dinner table, Laura Lini has
been working overtime with the traditional chiefs of Vanuatu. The chiefs
still exert enormous power here and they have a strong attachment to West
Papua, regarded by many as the home of Vanuatu's ancestors.

LAURA LINI: If he comes out to say publicly that he's going to have
dialogue with Indonesia, and that will be a problem with the chiefs
because the chiefs have come out publicly to say that we don't want to
have anything to do with Indonesia. And politics, when it involves chiefs,
it can become very - quite messy.

There are many West Papuan support groups around the world, but few have
this much clout. Having the daughter of the most revered political leader
in the country's history helps, and not many groups would have the leader
of the opposition dash over from parliament when he hears they're meeting.

LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION, (Translation): For me, the Indonesians in West
Papua are tourists. They're not from West Papua. So why would the Vanuatu
government support a tourist who has come for a holiday, who comes to take
money and then go?

But the most important person here today is not a politician, it's a
representative from the council of chiefs.

REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COUNCIL OF CHIEFS, (Translation): We can't stand by
and watch such suffering. This is not just me, but all the chiefs of
Vanuatu. And I must say, when the chiefs are backing something, there's no
corner their influence does not penetrate.

On sacred ground on the outskirts of Port Vila, the traditional chiefs of
Vanuatu are gathering. It's an extraordinary moment for West Papua but
John Ondawame is still fuming about his flag.

DR. JOHN ONDAWAME: They're keeping my flag. I don't like it very much and
there's already people died for - because of this flag so I won't tolerate
anymore. I will lose patience for that. I've had enough.

You've had enough?

LAURA LINI: You can see in the background we have some chiefs that are
here and they're at the moment waiting for the Prime Minister to arrive.

If the chiefs call a meeting, the Prime Minister will come?

LAURA LINI: Yes. Always? Always. They're going to tell the Prime Minister
today that the West Papua issue is now on the hands of the chiefs of
Vanuatu. We will hear what the Prime Minister will have to say but I'm
sure that he will be able to tell us this afternoon. Hopefully after today
I will be able to go back to the house.

CHIEF VERA VENGLAT: Honourable Prime Minister, you have come, and we
believe your understand custom. You follow our traditions. You heard the
chiefs say they needed you and you came.

With the courtesies out of the way, chief Vera Venglat gets into his
stride. As one of the wise men, Vera Venglat invokes the memory of the
PM's dead brother, Walter Lini, the father of Vanuatu, and in an
anniversary year, the memory of what Vanuatu once stood for.

CHIEF VERA VENGLAT: What we are now discussing is based on what the father
of Vanuatu talked about a long time ago. It's about the issue of West
Papua.

The PM looks increasingly chastened as the chief picks up steam.

CHIEF VERA VENGLAT: We can't sit by and watch our brother countries suffer.

For 20 minutes the chief spells out his concerns about dealing with
Indonesia. The ancestors came from West Papua, the blood that is spilt
there is the blood of the chiefs of Vanuatu.

CHIEF VERA VENGLAT: And now our chiefs are standing up. Our chiefs have
wisdom and feel their pain. Now they have sat down at the sacred fire.

Vera Venglat wraps up with a payment to the PM, an offering more valuable
than the gifts of any foreign emissaries - sacred mats and kava to seal
the deal.

CHIEF VERA VENGLAT: My talk will finish here and now we have bought this
kava root here. We want the words of the father of independence to be
brought up again. We need to open these discussions again so that our
brothers can be free the West Papua. Thank you.

An extraordinary transformation seems to take place with Ham Lini as he
commits himself to the freedom of the West Papuans.

HAM LINI: So I want the assure everyone here, although it might be a hard
time and a long time, West Papua will be free according to God's plan. And
we in our small ways need to look for ways to help.

Lini is a man of custom, but he's also a politician. He knows the chiefs
have influence in every village in Vanuatu in a way that local members
could only dream of.

REPORTER: He talks straight about West Papua?

MAN: He answered what we asked him. And he was all right. He talked straight.

The Prime Minister accepts the chief's gifts and in doing so, accepts
their speech and their commands.

MAN: We told him to come to the talk and he came.

REPORTER: And he must listen to you?

MAN: He must listen, because he's a man who knows custom.

REPORTER: Can he disagree, does he have to obey or is he his own man?

MAN: He will agree.

REPORTER: Would there be trouble if he did not agree?

MAN: There'd be no trouble if he didn't agree but there would be an
enquiry to find out why.

With the Melanesian nations meeting this month and the Pacific Islands
Forum soon after, the coming weeks will tell whether old friends or new
will prevail upon Ham Lini.

GEORGE NEGUS: And Mark tells us it seems the chiefs have had a victory. A
member of the Free Papua Movement will join Vanuatu's official delegation
to the Melanesian nations meeting in a few days time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RNZI
Melanesian Spearhead Group to meet in Goroka
Posted at 01:53 on 15 August, 2005 UTC

Creating a regional security force in the Pacific is on the agenda for
discussion at a meeting of Melanesian leaders in Papua New Guinea that
gets underway today.

But the chairman of the MSG Interim Secretariat, Johnny Koanapo says at
this stage the topic of the Indonesian province of Papua is not on the
agenda for the senior officials segment.

He says it might be something the leaders want to discuss amongst themselves.

And he says the Interim Secretariat has received nothing yet about
Indonesia' s request to be granted observer status.

"It may have gone through the Papua New Guinea government but that's
something that needs to be discussed and agreed upon by the leaders. If
Indonesia has requested observer status, or even West Papua, that is
something that needs to be agreed upon by the meeting."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RNZI
Melanesian leaders to discuss creating a regional security force
Posted at 19:33 on 14 August, 2005 UTC

Creating a regional security force in the Pacific is on the agenda for
discussion at a meeting of Melanesian leaders in Papua New Guinea that
gets underway today.

PNG's Foreign Minister, Sir Rabbie Namaliu, is quoted by the Australian
Associated Press as saying the summit, at Goroka in PNG's highlands, will
discuss the possibility of such a force becoming a Pacific Forum entity.

Sir Rabbie said the need for such a force had been borne out by what has
been happening in the Solomon Islands.... a reference to the regional
peace mision that was sent in 2003 to quell the ethnic tensions.

The Melanesian Spearhead Group encompasses PNG, Fiji, the Solomon Islands
and Vanuatu with New Caledonia as an observer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The National (PNG)
15/8/05
Police detain budding photographer
By Zachery Per

Police in Goroka briefly detained and released a man they felt was acting
suspiciously on the eve of the 16th Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG)
Summit.

Police said Mr Henry Maroy, 28, from Kavivi village in the Lufa district,
Eastern Highlands, was detained yesterday morning after he was seen taking
photographs of delegates arriving from the four MSG member countries.

Mr Maroy told police he decided to take pictures to sell to the two
national dailies, The National and Post-Courier, because he believed there
were no reporters around to cover the event.

Police said Maroy, who was of West Papuan heritage, was released after his
employer and a police officer from Kavivi village identified him.

Police ordered Mr Maroy to delete his digital photographs and told him
that journalists from all media organisations in PNG had been given
special identification passes to cover the event.

Police operations field commander and Eastern Highlands provincial police
commander Philip Solala commended his policemen for being very alert on
the eve of the MSG summit.

He said there are 665 police officers and more than 10 technical staff
from the PNG Defence Force to provide a high level of security, including
90 Goroka-based police officers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Jakarta Post.com
National News
August 13, 2005
Hot stone feast highlights Papua Independence Day celebrations
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post/Jayapura

Arso community in Keerom regency here cooked a meal using hot stones on
Thursday, which they shared together in celebration of Independence Day on
August 17.

The community prayed to God at the event for safety and prosperity.

"The communal meal also creates an opportunity for us to come together. We
rarely meet one another, in this way we can share light moments and trade
stories about our families," said Rev. Edi Togoti, who is from Wamena
regency.

The function was attended by some 60 people originally from eight
regencies Papua-wide outside Keerom, including Wamena, Jayawijaya, Mimika,
Puncak Jaya. They had been living for years in Arso area, Keerom regency,
some 60 kilometers east of Jayapura, the capital of Papua.

"The event is also aimed at strengthening ties among people from the eight
regencies, who hail from different religious and cultural backgrounds,"
said Edi.

The 60 people, who are all leading figures from the eight regencies
located in the central mountainous area of Papua, are but a few among
thousands of people from the eight regencies who have for years been
living in Keerom regency. The people held similar events in their
respective hometowns before they departed for Arso, Keerom and Thursday's
communal meal brought back memories for them.

"When I lived in Wamena, various foods were served at these 'hot stone'
events, which were one of the main attractions for those in attendance,"
said Edi.

Various kinds of food were served during the function on Thursday. As
witnessed by The Jakarta Post, the participants heated the stones before
placing them in a 30-centimeter-deep hole and covering them with banana
leaves and grass.

The food -- including pork, bananas, cassava, corn and vegetables -- was
covered with more banana leafs and on top of the banana leafs, other foods
were placed and so forth.

"The food is cooked with steam from the hot stones. We call the event
burning the stones," said a participant, Rutin Murib.

In order to check whether the food is well-cooked, the steam from the
stones is carefully observed. If the smoke and steam is decreasing in
volume, this means the food is ready to be consumed. "It usually takes one
or two hours," said Murib.

After the food is ready, the men pulled out the stones with a wooden
staff, the tip of which had been cut in half to pinch the stones. The
women then served the food, including cutting into pieces the meat.

"The food is not served with sauces, however it tastes good. People often
call it dry food as it is not cooked with water or fire," said Murib.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FinanceAsia
Mining for a pot of gold
By Lara Wozniak 16 August 2005
-- PT Antam to appoint a financial advisor this week to decide if it
should acquire a minority stake in Freeport Indonesia.

State-owned mining company PT Aneka Tambang (ANTAM) says it plans this
week to appoint an independent financial advisor to help it conduct due
diligence into the potential acquisition of a minority stake in PT
Freeport Indonesia.

ANTAM is considering acquiring the government's 9.36% stake in the US
copper and gold mining company Freeport Indonesia, which some analysts say
is valued at $700 million.

The value is one of the key points an advisor is expected to clarify for
the company. The advisor would also recommend whether to make an
investment and how best to fund it.

ANTAM will choose its financial adviser this week from a short list of
five investment banks: HSBC Securities, CLSA, Citigroup, BNP Paribas and
Macquarie.

Following the due diligence and Antam's decision to proceed with the
potential investment, a financial arranger, separate from the financial
advisor, will be appointed.

A rights issue is one of the alternatives which may be considered.

As ANTAM carefully noted in a press release, "Although still at a very
preliminary stage and pending minority shareholder approval, there is a
possibility the acquisition would be effected through a cashless
transaction, wherein the government would transfer its shares of PT
Freeport Indonesia to Antam in exchange for newly issued Antam shares."

ANTAM says any potential share transfer would depend on the government's
approval and a business evaluation - with the help of the newly appointed
financial adviser - that demonstrates the transaction gives value to
shareholders, including minority shareholders.

Freeport Indonesia, which owns and operates large copper and gold mines in
Papua, the archipelago nation's easternmost province, is 81.28% directly
owned by Freeport McMoran Copper & Gold Corp.; 9.36% indirectly owned by
Freeport McMoran through its 100% ownership of Indocopper Investama; and
9.36% owned by the government.

Meanwhile, Antam's FeNi III ferronickel smelter construction is proceeding
on time and on budget, says the company. Following the construction,
Antam's EPC contractor is expected to switch on the smelter at the
beginning of November and after a three month commissioning, commercial
operations are expected to being in the first quarter of 2006.