PAPUA GOVERNOR REGRETS ARREST OF THREE DUTCH JOURNALISTS

Jayapura, Mar 27 (ANTARA) -- Papua provincial governor Barnabas Suebu regretted the arrest of three Dutch jousnalists by the Papua police and immigration on Tuesday (Mar 24).

"Why should they be arrested, they have a three-day visa, during which they had the right to stay in Papua. This is strange," Barnabas Suebu told the press here Wednesday (Mar 25).
He said that was very bad public relations on the part of the police and the immigration, and the case may discourage other foreign tourists planning to visit Papua.
"The Dutch journalists came along with an important party. Except if they came illegally, in which case they need to be arrested," he said.
Such behaviour, Barnabas Suebu added, may disrupt Indonesia's diplomatic relations with the Dutch government.
In the context of the case, he said he will summon the heads of the local police and immigration for clarification.
The three Dutch journalists, namely Gabriela Babette, Peter Mariaw Smith and Ronald Wigman, were brought by immigration personnel after being caught by Papua police during the demonstration by West Papua National Committee masses in front of the Papua legislative assembly (DPRP) on Tuesday (Mar 24).
In the meantime, executive chairman of the Jayapura Immigration Office R. Hendiartono told the press that the three foreign journalists had misused their visas, because they came there with a tourist visit along with the group of OPM leader Nikolas Jouwe who was on a tour of Papua, but since they took pictures of the rally, they had to be arrested for questioning. "Any foreigner wishing to make a coverage needs to have the permission from the relevant government authorities," he explained.
The three Dutch journalists following the interrogation on Tuesday night, were allowed to return to their hotel, but many of their papers were held by the immigration and police.
"We had done what we were supposed to do, and the result will be submitted to the head of immigration of the Papua Regional Justic Office for their decision, whether or not the Dutch journalists had committed a violation," Hendriartono said..
But for the time being, it was quite clear that Gabriel Dabette, Peter Mariow Smith, and Ronald Wigman, had misused their visas.