Papua rebel group founder back in Indonesia

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 01/12/2010 5:04 PM

Free Papua Organization (OPM) rebel group founder Nicholas Jouwe arrived in Jakarta on Tuesday and vowed to spend the rest of his life in the country.

Jouwe, 86, proceeded to the office of the Coordinating Public Welfare Minister Agung Laksono upon his arrival in Jakarta. Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi, who is a native Papuan, was also seen at the meeting.

“I left the Netherlands to settle on my home soil of Indonesia for good,” Jouwe was quoted by Antara.

He said he was happy with the Indonesian government’s reception of him and its commitment to solving Papua’s problems.

“I think Papua is part of Indonesia. We talked about the cooperation program, which is what we need. We have to develop the Papua land,” Jouwe said.

When asked about a series of attacks which are linked to OPM in Papua, Jouwe said the perpetrators were just “young people who know nothing.”

“They emulated what other people in other parts of Indonesia did,” he added.

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Welcome back!: Free Papua Organization co-founder Nicholas Jouwe (second left) is welcome by Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu (right) upon his arrival Sunday at Sentani Airport in Jayapura. Nicholas has been in Indonesia since Friday, after more than 40 years in exile in the Netherlands. (ANTARA/Oka Barta - 23 March 2009)