Cablegate: Timika Defendants Still Refuse to Appear

VZCZCXRO5949
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #8688 1930043
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 120043Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7078
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY IMMEDIATE 3184
RUCNFB/DIR FBI WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEAWJB/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS JAKARTA 008688

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FBI PLS PASS CTD/GAO - UC MONTOOTH
SECSTATE FOR EAP/MTS AND DS/DSS, DS/IP/EAP, DS/EAP/ITA, AND
CA/OCS/ACS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC CASC KJUS PHUM ID
SUBJECT: TIMIKA DEFENDANTS STILL REFUSE TO APPEAR

REF: A. JAKARTA 8383 (OPENING OF TIMIKA TRIAL DEFERRED)
B. JAKARTA 8114 (TRIAL OF TIMIKA SUSPECTS)

1. (SBU) The trial of Anthonious Wamang, Agustinus Anggaibak
and five other co-conspirators in the 2002 murders of two
Amcits in Timika, Papua was delayed again when the defendants
failed to appear for the second straight week (ref A).
Defense lawyers from the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human
Rights Association (PBHI) continue to insist that the trial
should be held in Timika. As expected, Chief Judge Nurdin
ordered that the suspects be compelled to appear at the next
session, scheduled for July 18, and we expect that the
Supreme Court's decision to change the venue of the trial
from Papua to Jakarta will stand. Journalists from both
Indonesia and Australia attended the session, but unlike the
first session no protesters were present.

2. (SBU) Separately, we met with Patsy Spiers' privately
contracted attorney, Luhut M. P. Pangaribuan on July 10. A
former President of PBHI, Pangaribuan stated that he
personally knows both the defense team and Chief Judge
Nurdin, whom he considers to be very capable. He also stated
that the defense was not aware of his role as Ms. Spiers'
private attorney. We emphasized our desire to keep in
regular contact with them in order to ensure that Ms. Spiers
has the full support she needs. An attorney from
Pangaribuan's office attended the July 11 session.

PASCOE

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