Irian Java Students Sacked

Thirty students at Irian Jaya’s Cenderawasih University have been expelled following a boycott of lectures in protest at “Indonesianisation” of courses, according to a Port Moresby press release of the OPM (Free Papua Movement); Another release from the same source reports the arrest of two OPM guerrilla fighters who entered Papua New Guinea in March to seek medical treatment at Vanimo. One managed to escape, but the OPM release says “fears are held for the safety of the man still in detention”.

The OPM claims that a meeting was held on March 18 between PNG and Indonesian authorities to discuss an Indonesian request for the “free entry” of its troops into PNG on “mopping-up operations” before the Indonesian elections.

It said constant contacts were maintained between the two governments through fortnightly meetings at Vanimo, and that a number of joint military exercises have been held along the border in the past.