Accuse Australia

Papuan Freedom Fighters

The West Irian independence movement known as Organiasi Tapua Merdeka (OPM), which attempted to obtain support from the South Pacific Forum meeting in Port Moresby, has alleged that Australia is helping the Indonesians in their drive against the OPM.

They have said that an aerial mapping operation being carried out by the RAAF over Irian Jaya is giving valuable information to Indonesia; that an RA A F helicopter which crashed in August near Wamena with the loss of the pilot, was shot down by OPM marksmen, and that an RAAF plane had also been hit. They warned that, although they had no quarrel with Australia, Australian lives would in jeopardy as they were determined to prevent the Indonesians from benefiting from the RAAF’s operations.

An Australian Government'annouhcement denied the allegations, saying that the aerial mapping operations were part of a world-wide survey to help undeveloped countries, and that the RAAF had mapped the whole of Java and Sumatra before arriving over Irian Jaya.

Some observers described the decision to continue the mapping over an area in which the OPM and the Indonesians were in combat, instead of postponing their survey until matters were cleared up, as stupid. Australia described it as a “ co-incidence ”. The statement issued in Port Moresby said the operation would end by September 30 when Australian personnel 25 army and 50 RAAF servicemen headquartered at Biak would be with drawn. But Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, interviewed in Port Moresby half an hour after the statement was issued, said the operation would con tinue.

"But R A A F denied the helicopter was shot down and said it crashed white manoeuvring through the valley. Air strength based on Biak comprised two Canberras, one Caribou and a chartered Queen Air. One helicopter had crashed, and one had returned to Australia.