The Wire

The FBI has charged a West Papuan independence activist with the murder of two US teachers in West Papua in 2002. The two teachers were part of a group of 11 Americans contracted by the giant Freeport Mine, who came under heavy fire in their vehicles after returning from a picnic. 7 of their colleagues were badly wounded. But the announcement by the US Attorney-General John Ashcroft of charges against Anthonius Wamamang of the OPM, or Free Papua movement has surprised many of those following the investigation. Initial reports implicated the Indonesian military in the murders, and no explanation has been given for how the impoverished OPM could have orchestrated such an attack. Nathan Witkop spoke to John Rumbiak, the executive director of ELSHAM, a Papuan human rights organisation.