WAMENA LAND DISPUTE SETTLED: REPORT
Land disputes which resulted in an attempt to murder Irian Jaya
Governor Barnabas Suebu have been settled.
A meeting to mark the end of the conflict between the two tribal
groups was held in Wamena, capital of Jayawijaya regency.
About 3,000 members of the Mukoko and Walesi tribes as well as
their leaders and Governor Suebu attended the meeting.
The leaders declared that the land conflicts between the two
tribes and between the tribes and the Irian Jaya government were
ended.
The conflicts involved 500 hectares of land reportedly owned by
the tribes and surrendered to the government at a price of Rp 7
billion. The land was reportedly located in Wamena and was being
used for expansion of the city [sic].
The tribal leaders said in the meeting they apologized for the
attempt by Noach Lagoan to murder Suebu and the Ministry of Home
Affairs in Jakarta late last month.
Lagoan, a member of the Mukoko tribe, rushed into a room at the
ministry's offices and tried to stab the governor with a knife.
The attacker was seized by officers and reporters interviewing
Suebu at the time.
The leaders said Lagoan's action was based on his own will and
was not engineered by leaders of the tribes. They admitted,
however, they had sent Lagoan to Jakarta to report the land
dispute to well-placed officials.
A leader of the Mukoko tribe said the conflicts had mainly been
sparked by the fact that the government had delayed giving the Rp
7 billion to the tribes in compensation for their land. He said
they had agreed on the amount.
Lagoan reportedly met with Suebu after the meeting and
apologized for his action.
30