fPcN Press release on Indonesia’s own ‘ABU GHRAIB’in West Papua

All our volunteers around the fPcN global network was horrified on seeing the new received video showing very clear brutal torture in West Papua. The Indonesian Police BRIMOB and Kostrad are completely out of control. Constant abuse of West Papuan people, impunity, and three shootings in recent weeks. In Puncak Jaya the ongoing sweeping operations by Brimob who are conducting random and punitive village burnings, rapes killings and torture on a daily basis. The question is if these crimes against humanity are being controlled by Jakarta, or can Jakarta not control its security forces. This video show clear evidence of deliberate violations of human rights, conducted with the full knowledge of the POLRI command. If POLRI command are in knowledge, then the responsibility goes to the highest level of the Police.

An historic U.S. Congressional hearing on September 22th regarding West Papua revealed ongoing human rights abuse by the Indonesian military and continued impunity for those abuses and broad Papuan rejection of Jakarta’s failed policy of “special autonomy.” The hearing also cast light on a U.S. policy that appeared not to have evolved to address the deteriorating conditions in West Papua or an unreformed Indonesian military intent on resisting accountability and civilian control. Subcommittee Chairman’s Faleomavaega’s description of “slow motion genocide” set the tone of urgency that enveloped the hearing.

fPcN decided not edit out any of the graphic scenes from the video content because it shows the truth, the out and out brutality of Papuan life under the Indonesian occupation. The accompanying clip shows two men, one young and the other between 50-60 years, in the detention of Kostrad members, suffering increasing acts of brutality and torture. Kostrad personnel then proceeded to become progressively rougher with their detainees during the course of interrogation. Putting bayonets in their mouths, kneeing them, stripping them,putting the old man’s head in a plastic bag to suffocate, then taking off, putting on etc. major force was used, kicking, punching. After about five minutes, Kostrad personnel started to put burning sticks onto the old man’s penis, for at least a few minutes.

From: westpapuamedia.info

West Papuan human rights workers have obtained a series of mobile phone videos of brutal acts of torture on two West Papuan priests.  Indonesian security forces, most likely troops from the Kostrad battalion 754 based at Nabire, filmed the torture March 17 2010 at a road bridge near Tingginambut, Puncak Jaya, in the midst of a still ongoing military operation.

This disturbing video shows hooded members of an Indonesian security team, believed to be members of Kostrad battalion 753 from Nabire, kicking, punching, poking with bayonets, terrorising, and brutalising both detainees.

Perhaps the most brutal scenes are where the old man, believed to be a priest of the indigenous Kingmi Church, the Reverend Kindeman Gire, is repeatedly held down while soldiers deliberately burn his penis with a burning stick.

Westpapuamedia.info is working together with a joint team of media and international human rights workers to verify all the facts around this video.  It had been released prematurely by external sources, so the facts are still being confirmed. Investigators are still conducting forensic analysis of the original source files to determine the full identity of the mobile phone that was used to film these abuses, and if it is connected to other videos recently received (to be published).

The two victims spoke in Bahasa Indonesia and Lani. It is believed that the main victim is Rev. Kindeman Gire who was killed in March 2010.