He was recently appointed the regional military chief.

'Siagian is doing the same work he did in Timor. But for the moment, he is using some new tactics,' Mr Yoman said. 'He may not kill Papuans, but he is promoting a character assassination of the pro-independence Papuans.'

Mr Yoman said Colonel Siagian and other members of the Indonesian military (TNI) had been meeting several militias in the last few weeks.

Around 500 pro-Indonesian nationalists and militia members met at a military auditorium in Jayapura on July 6, where Colonel Siagian was reported to have spoken.

Present at the meeting were members of the notorious Merah Putih militia, which means red and white, referring to the colours of the Indonesian flag.

Another Merah Putih gathering took place in Biak on July 15, while a large gathering of militias and TNI representatives took place in Koya Barat, near Jayapura, on July 19. It is also reported that the Indonesian military gave 70 community leaders 'survival' training this month.

Matthew Jamieson, of the Australia-based Institute for Papuan Advocacy and Human Rights (IPAHR), said Colonel Siagian's close relationship with the militias heightened tensions. The IPAHR is among the 30 organisations that last month sent an open letter to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono calling for Colonel Siagian's withdrawal due to his Timor indictments.

'The organisation of militias increases the level of danger to local activists, because more civilians are involved in the essentially political programme of the security forces,' he said.

'Also, the militia give the TNI a group on hand to display a militantly pro-Jakarta population. The TNI can then use this force in various ways to subvert the campaign for self- determination.

'There is the threat of what happened in East Timor repeating in Papua,' he added.

East Timor voted for independence in 1999. The referendum was followed by an orgy of violence with pro-Jakarta militias killing more than 1,500 people and destroying 70 per cent of the region's infrastructure.

The militias also caused bloodshed during the 24-year-long occupation.

In Papua, Colonel Siagian has made it clear that he will not tolerate talk of separatism.

'What is absolutely certain is that anyone who tends towards separatism will be crushed by the TNI,' he told the Cenderawasih Pos newspaper on July 7.

'In the interests of the Republic of Indonesia, we are not afraid of human rights. We are quite prepared to imprison anyone, or dismiss them from their posts, whatever is in the interest of Indonesia.'

A few days later, Colonel Siagian told the same newspaper: 'If I meet anyone who has enjoyed the facilities that belong to the state, but who still betrays the nation, I will honestly destroy him.'

The IPAHR also claimed that in Timika, where the giant US Freeport copper and gold mine is based, the Merah Putih militia was led by an islander who was a former member of Indonesia's infamous special forces unit, Kopassus.

The IPAHR says there are militias in Manokwari, Wamena and Nabir, three other Papuan cities.

'The situation needs scrutiny. What Papua needs is to be open to independent international observers and the media,' Mr Jamieson said.

The Jayapura authorities were unavailable for comment.