Tag: Cenderawasih University

DAP chairman says Third Congress decisions should be accepted by the government and UN members

Bintang Papua, 10 October 2011

According to Forkorus Yaboisembut, chairman of DAP, the Dewan Adat Papua, the forthcoming Third Papuan Congress will result in decisions that will express the true aspirations of the people of West Papua, in the provinces of both Papua and West Papua.

He said that the results of this Congress should be recognised and put into practice by the Indonesian government and should also be recognised by all the countries which are members of the United Nations.

He called upon the Indonesian government during this era of democracy to accommodate these decisions. ‘If we genuinely uphold the principles of democracy, whatever is decided by the Congress however painful they may be, must be accepted by the Indonesian government.’

He went on to say however that it was quite likely they would not be recognised or implemented by the Indonesian government nor by the members of the United Nations. He said was what normally happens. ‘Some may be pleased while others will not be pleased but we will continue to do everything that we can to convince them that these decisions are correct.’

Regarding the venue of the Congress, he said that UNCEN, the Cenderawasih University had be asked whether its auditorium could be used but they said that they needed the STTP (acknowledgement) from the police which should be forthcoming on 10 October as the chief of police had just arrived back in Jayapura.

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AHRC: Jayapura city district police and military arbitrarily torture and arrest Papuan civilians



Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-202-2011

11 October 2011
———————————————————————
INDONESIA: Jayapura city district police and military arbitrarily torture and arrest Papuan civilians

ISSUES: Indigenous people; military, police violence; ill-treatment and torture; right to fair trial
———————————————————————

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the arbitrary arrest and torture of 15 Papuan villagers, including several minors, in Horas Skyline village, Jayapura, Papua, committed by a joint team of Jayapura city district police and Cenderawasih military area command on 31 August 2011. Until now, there is no investigation into the incident.

CASE NARRATIVE:

According to information received from Persekutuan Gereja-Gereja Baptis Papua (The Fellowship of Baptist Churches of Papua), Koalisi Masyarakat Sipil Untuk Penegakan Hukum dan HAM di Papua (Civil Society Coalition to Uphold Law and Human Rights in Papua) and other activists, on 31 August 2011 at 5am, around 115 members of a joint team of Jayapura city district police (POLRESTA) and Cenderawasih military area command raided Papuan villagers in Horas Skyline village, Abepura district, Jayapura, Papua. All of the team members had guns and long barreled rifles, and some of them were wearing a black mask. When they were some 300 meters from the targeted houses, the team shot at the houses seven times.

(left: Siki Kogoya/ source: The Fellowship of Baptist Churches of Papua)

Siki Kogoya, a villager who was in his yard at the time, was shocked upon hearing the gunshot, after which he saw the joint team members make their way to him. One of the members pointed his gun at Siki’s mouth, while three others pointed their long barreled rifles at his neck. They then beat him with rifle butts and kicked his head, face, ribs and chest. Siki was ordered to lie face down on the ground, while the officers continued pointing their weapons at him and asked him questions regarding the location of Panius Kogoya, Etra Yanengga, and Arman Kogoya, and whether he knows Danny Kogoya. This was related to their involvement in a shooting accident in Nafri on 1 August 2011, and the killing of a taxi driver and burning of his taxi in Skyline on 6 July 2011.

(right: Panius Kogoya/source: The Fellowship of Baptist Churches of Papua)

At the same time, other joint team members went to Biben Kogoya (the neighbourhood leader)’s small house (this small house is separated from Biben Kogoya’s main house and is usually used by the community for worship, discussion or meeting) and raided it. The officers then brought 14 villagers (three of whom were sick), randomly picked up from the village, to Biben’s yard, ordered them to lie down and forced them to see the sun rise without blinking. The officers humiliated, kicked, beat and pointed their guns at the victims. The officers asked the victims who among them were Danny Kogoya, Panius Kogoya, Ekimar Kogoya, Etra Yanengga and Gidi Wenda, and forced them to disclose the location of Panius Kogoya, Ekimar Kogoya, and Etra Yanengga, and whether they know Danny Kogoya.

(left: Panius Kogoya/source: The Fellowship of Baptist Churches of Papua)

Being the neighbourhood leader, Biben had learnt from the urban village head (LURAH, an administrative leader for the regency/city area), that members of the regional Papua police (POLDA) and Jayapura city district police would raid his house. He did not expect to be beaten however. The joint team members placed a photo of the killed soldier in Nafri into a photo album at Biben’s house, then they showed it to him and forced him to admit that he was the killer.

Subsequently, Biben was dragged to an empty house which had been ransacked by the joint team members. There was a hole at the house, with bullets and papers around it. Biben was threatened with death if he did not admit that these belonged to him. When Biben refused to admit this, the officers dragged him towards the hole and tried to push him in. Biben managed to avoid falling in, but the joint team members then dragged him to another room. There, at the left corner, the officers ordered Biben to dig a hole while pointing a gun at him. Biben felt they would kill and bury him, and he tried to escape. He was caught and brought to his yard, where the other victims were held.

At 6:30pm Metius Kogoya, a Christian clergyman, heard of the news and at 9:30pm he came to the location where the victims were being held. There, he was asked by the joint team members to name all the victims. When he named Ekimar, the officers immediately beat and dragged him to an empty yard, where he was beaten repeatedly and forced to name another killer. Finally Ekimar named Panius, as a result of which Panius was also dragged to the yard and beaten together with Ekimar. Metius then sat with the other victims in solidarity. He observed the victims being humiliatiated and beaten for eight hours, until 1pm.

While the victims were being beaten and interrogated, other joint team members were raiding Biben Kogoya’s house for documents that could be used as evidence. They seized ‘weapons’ such as traditional arrows, a chopper, a knife. In the backyard, one officer shot a hole through a frying pan, stating, “With this frying pan, you cooked and gave food to members of the Free Papua Movement (OPM).” The joint team members also raided other victims’ houses.

Furthermore, the joint team also asked Novi Kogoya alias Pia (7 years) to answer where was the gun hidden by her parents. Even though Novi Kogoya anwered that she did not know, they kept repeating the question.

Approximately at 1pm, the chief of regional police (KAPOLDA) of Papua and the chief of Jayapura city district police (KAPOLRESTA) came to Biben’s yard and ordered the joint team members to stop their assault. Then the victims were brought to the Jayapura city district police headquarters and interrogated as witnesses of the Nafri and Skyline killings. In violation of articles 17 and 38 of the Indonesian criminal procedure law, the joint team officers did not show any arrest and seizure warrant when arresting the victims. The police officers also did not inform the victims of their rights and interrogated them without legal counsel in violation of articles 51 and 54.

The Jayapura police officers threatened to kill Ekimar and Panius if they did not confess to being the killers in the Nafri and Skyline incidents. As a result, the two victims made statements that they were the killers. Ekimar is a minor, and his rights were violated by being interrogated and detained in the same manner as an adult.

The police completed their interrogation of the victims at 11pm, excluding Ekimar and Panius, who were considered as suspects of manslaughter, murder, and violence under articles 338, 340 and 170.1 of the criminal code. The victims were taken to a prison truck and not given food until the following morning.

On the next day, September 1, at 11:40am, a representative from the national human rights commission in Papua, the Baptist church of Papua and several human rights activists came to the Jayapura city district police headquarters to see the victims. After several complaints submitted to the police and due to insufficient proof, the police released all the victims except Ekimar and Panius at around 3pm. The 13 victims are presently suffering from trauma and cannot conduct their daily activities as usual.

On September 3, at 9am, the Jayapura district police gave arrest and detention warrants to the families of Ekimar and Panius in violation of articles 17 and 21.1 of the Indonesian criminal procedure law.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the authorities listed below asking them to intervene in the case immediately to ensure that all perpetrators are brought to justice in accordance with international human rights norms.

Please be informed that the AHRC is also sending letters to the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous people, the working group on arbitrary detention, and the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, calling for their intervention into this matter.

To support this appeal, please click here:

SAMPLE LETTER:

Dear ___________,

INDONESIA: Jayapura city district police and military arbitrarily arrest and torture Papuan civilians

Name of victims: Siki Kogoya (male, 23 years, student), Tinus Wenda (male, 40, entrepreneur), Yeskiel Wenda (male, 23, student), Arinus Wenda (male, 25, student), Nusman Kogoya (male, 18, student), Manianus Kogoya (male, 23, student), Mis Kogoya (male, 25, student), Yawenus Kogoya (male, 21, student), Budi Kogoya (male,15, student), Demias Kogoya (male, 16, student), Biben Kogoya (male, 34, neighbourhood leader), Metius Kogoya (male, 34, Christian clergy), Uwen Kogoya (male, 26, student), Painus Kogoya (male, 23, student), Ekimas alias Ekimar Kogoya (male, 16, student)
Name of alleged perpetrators: Officers of the Jayapura city dictrict police, members of the joint team of Jayapura city district police and military who arbitrarily arrested, threatened and tortured the victims
Date of incident: 31 August 2011
Place of incident: Horas Skyline village, Abepura district, Jayapura, Papua

I am writing to voice my deep concern at the arbitrary arrest and torture of 15 Papuan civilians, including several minors, in Horas Skyline village, Abepura district, Jayapura, Papua, by the joint team of Jayapura city district police and Cenderawasih military area command on 31 August 2011.

I have learnt that on 31 August 2011 at 5am, around 115 members of the joint team of Jayapura city district police and Cenderawasih military area command raided the villagers’ homes. All of the team members had guns and long barreled rifles, and some of them were wearing a black mask. When they were some 300 meters from the targeted houses, the team shot at the houses seven times.

Siki Kogoya, a villager who was in his yard at the time, was shocked upon hearing the gunshot, after which he saw the joint team members make their way to him. One of the members pointed his gun at Mr. Kogoya’s mouth, while three others pointed their long barreled rifles at his neck. They then beat him with rifle butts and kicked his head, face, ribs and chest. Mr. Kogoya was ordered to lie face down on the ground, while the officers continued pointing their weapons at him and asked him questions regarding the location of Panius Kogoya, Etra Yanengga, and Arman Kogoya, and whether Mr. Kogoya knows Danny Kogoya. This was related to their involvement in a shooting accident in Nafri on 1 August 2011, and the killing of a taxi driver and burning of his taxi in Skyline on 6 July 2011.

At the same time, other joint team members went to Biben Kogoya (the neighbourhood leader)’s small house (this small house is separated from Biben Kogoya’s main house and is usually used by the community for worship, discussion or meeting) and raided it. The officers then brought 14 villagers (three of whom were sick), randomly picked up from the village, to Biben’s yard, ordered them to lie down and forced them to see the sun rise without blinking. The officers humiliated, kicked, beat and pointed their guns at the victims. The officers asked the victims who among them were Danny Kogoya, Panius Kogoya, Ekimar Kogoya, Etra Yanengga and Gidi Wenda, and forced them to disclose the location of Panius Kogoya, Ekimar Kogoya, and Etra Yanengga, and whether they know Danny Kogoya.

I am outraged to learn that the joint team members placed a photo of the killed soldier in Nafri into a photo album at Biben’s house, which they then showed him and forced him to admit that he was the killer. Subsequently, Biben was dragged to an empty house which had been ransacked by the joint team members. There was a hole at the house, with bullets and papers around it. Biben was threatened with death if he did not admit that these belonged to him. When Biben refused to admit this, the officers dragged him towards the hole and tried to push him in. Biben managed to avoid falling in, but the joint team members then dragged him to another room. There, at the left corner, the officers ordered Biben to dig a hole while pointing a gun at him. Biben felt they would kill and bury him, and he tried to escape. He was caught and brought to his yard, where the other victims were.

At 6:30pm Metius Kogoya, a Christian clergyman, heard of the news and at 9:30pm he came to the location where the victims were being held. There, he was asked by the joint team members to name all the victims. When he named Ekimar, the officers immediately beat and dragged him to an empty yard, where he was beaten repeatedly and forced to name another killer. Finally Ekimar named Panius, as a result of which Panius was also dragged to the yard and beaten together with Ekimar.

While the victims were being beaten and interrogated, other joint team members were raiding Biben Kogoya’s house for documents that could be used as evidence. They seized ‘weapons’ such as traditional arrows, a chopper, a knife. In the backyard, one officer shot a hole through a frying pan, stating, “With this frying pan, you cooked and gave food to members of the Free Papua Movement (OPM).” The joint team members also raided other victims’ houses.

Approximately at 1pm, the chief of regional police (KAPOLDA) of Papua and the chief of Jayapura city district police (KAPOLRESTA) came to Biben’s yard and ordered the joint team members to stop their assault. Then the victims were brought to the Jayapura city district police headquarters and interrogated as witnesses of the Nafri and Skyline killings. In violation of articles 17 and 38 of the Indonesian criminal procedure law, the joint team officers did not show any arrest and seizure warrant when arresting the victims. The police officers also did not inform the victims of their rights and interrogated them without legal counsel in violation of articles 51 and 54.

It has come to my grave attention that the Jayapura police officers threatened to kill Ekimar and Panius Kogoya if they did not confess to being the killers in the Nafri and Skyline incidents. As a result, the two victims made statements that they were the killers. Ekimar is a minor, and I am shocked that his rights were violated by being interrogated and detained in the same manner as an adult.

The police completed their interrogation of the victims at 11pm, excluding Ekimar and Panius, who were considered as suspects of manslaughter, murder, and violence as mentioned in articles 338, 340 and 170.1 of the criminal code. The victims were taken to a prison truck and not given food until the following morning.

On the next day, September 1, at 11:40am, a representative from the national human rights commission in Papua, the Baptist chuch of Papua and several human rights activists came to the Jayapura police headquarters to see the victims. After several complaints submitted to the police and due to insufficient proof, the police released all the victims except Ekimar and Panius Kogoya at around 3pm. The 13 victims are presently suffering from trauma and cannot conduct their daily activities as usual.

On September 3, at 9am, the Jayapura district police gave the arrest and detention warrants to the families of Ekimar and Panius Kogoya in violation of articles 17 and 21.1 of the Indonesian criminal procedure law.

Until now, I am not aware of any action taken against the perpetrators for their brutal and illegal behaviour towards the villagers. I urge you to seriously look into the victims’ allegations and take appropriate action against those found responsible. Appropriate action must also be taken against the authorities that have failed to intervene.

Yours sincerely,

—————-
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
The President of Indonesia
Jl. Veteran No. 16
Jakarta Pusat
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 3863777, 3503088.
Fax: +62 21 3442223

2. Mr. Kemal Azis Stamboel
The Chairman of the First Commission of House of Representative of Indonesia
Gedung DPR RI Nusantara II, Lantai 1
Jl. Jenderal Gatot Subroto
Jakarta 10270
INDONESIA
Phone: +62 21 5715518
Fax: +62 21 5715523

3. Chairman of Third Commission of The House of Representative of Indonesia
Jl. Gatot Subroto No. 6 Jakarta
INDONESIA
Tel:+62 21 5715569
Fax: +62 21 5715566

4. Mr. Erfi Triassunu
Commander of Regional Military Command XVII Cendrawasih
(Kemiliteran Daerah Papua / Kodam Papua)
Jl. Polimak atas Jayapura Provinsi Papua
INDONESIA
Fax: +62 967 533763

5. General of Police Timur Pradopo
Chief of Indonesian National Police
Markas Besar Kepolisian Indonesia
Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3
Kebayoran Baru
South Jakarta 12110
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 3848537, 7260306, 7218010
Fax: +62 21 7220669
Email: info@polri.go.id

6. Head of Division of Profession and Security of Indonesian Police
Markas Besar Kepolisian Indonesia
Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3
Kebayoran Baru
South Jakarta 12110
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 3848537, 7260306, 7218010
Fax: +62 21 7220669
Email: info@polri.go.id

7. Chairman of the National Police Commission (Kompolnas)
Jl. Tirtayasa VII No. 20 Komplek PTIK Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 739 2352
Fax: +62 21 739 2317

8. Head of National Commission on Human Rights of Indonesia
Jalan Latuharhary No.4-B,
Jakarta 10310
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 392 5227-30
Fax: +62 21 392 5227
Email: info@komnas.go.id

9. Ms. Harkristuti Harkrisnowo
General Director of Human Rights
Department of Law and Human Rights Republic of Indonesia
Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav.6-7 Kuningan, Jakarta 12940
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 525 3006, 525 3889, 526 4280
Fax: +62 21 525 3095

10. Chief of Regional Police of Papua province
Jl. Samratulangi No. 8 Jayapura
INDONESIA
Tel: + 62 0967 531014
Fax: +62 0967 533763

11. Chief of Jayapura city district police (POLRESTA)
Jl. A. Yani No.11
Jayapura
INDONESIA

Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)

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Two Papuans arriving to attend congress in Jayapura are arrested

Bintang Papua, 9 October 2011Jayapura: About two thousand people intending to attend the Third Papuan People’s Congress due to open on 16 October have already arrived in Jayapura from other parts of Papua. Some arrived by plane  while the majority travelled here by ship. The police have taken measures to guard the roads leading into Jayapura by examining all  passengers who arrive aboard the white ships.

All passengers who alight from the ships are subjected to sweepings undertaken by the police. A delegation from Serui was also subject to investigation. Ten people were taken into custody. After being interrogated, eight were released while two were held. The two who were held, Noak Kandipi and Henok Dorri, were found to be in possession of sharp implement in violation of the law.

The chief of police of Papua confirmed these arrests, saying that they were carrying weapons without the necessary permit.

The chairman of the congress organising committee, Selpius Bobii described this as an action of terror against Papuans arriving from outside who were coming to attend the congress.

‘Their aim is to warn delegates from other parts of the country against coming to Jayapura to attend the congress.’  he said.speaking at a press conference held at the office of the Dewan Adat Papua. He called on the army and the police not to arrest people and damage the programme of the congress, saying that this was very dangerous indeed. ‘We call on the police to release the two people immediately,’ he said. He also called  on all Papuans not to be provoked by issues that are being launched to damage harmonious relations with the community.

A member of the monitoring and advocacy team express his deep regrets that emergency laws were being used in a part of the country which was not in a state of emergency. ‘Moreover,’ he said, ‘people coming from the kampungs know absolutely nothing about these laws.’ He said that the monitoring team would assist the two and said that they did not know whether the two had been designated as suspects.

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Activists detained for attending consolidation meeting

from westpapuamedia.info and sources
October 7, 2011
Indonesian police have detained ten West Papuan activists in Jayapura on Thursday ahead of a critical meeting for the pro-independence West Papua National Authority (WPNA), according to local sources.
As many as 1825 West Papuan independence activists had arrived in Jayapura aboard the KM Sinabung on October 6 to begin a consolidation conference of the WPNA.  The Conference, to be held on October 8-9, was to determine the political position of WPNA ahead of the historic Third Papuan Peoples‘ Congress, a gathering of all the elements of West Papua’s disparate resistance movement to agree on a common strategy towards fulfilling the demand for Papuan self-determination.  The Congress, expected to go ahead from October 16-19 at Cenderawasih University was called by the West Papua National Committee, and has gained support from most sectors of the Papuan civil society.
Despite the mass circulation of SMS messages, believed to be from intelligence sources, across Papua that Jakarta was not going to oppose the Congress and the ability for Papuan people to organise dialogue under their own terms, Jayapura police have detained key WPNA organisers for possessing “separatist materials”.
Marthen Manggaprouw, from the WPNA Secretariat in  Jayapura, reports that Silas Ayemi, Seftinus Kaiway, Yoas Yawandare, Lewi Arampi, Noak Kandipi, Yehuda Kandipi, Daniel Sakwatorey,  Obeth Aninam, Filep Yawandare, and Henok Dori  were still detained at Police Station in Jayapura on Thursday night.   Silas Ayemi reported that he was arrested because he kept an invitation letter for attending the West Papuan Congress, and also for being in possession of pictures of the banned West Papuan Morning Star flag.
Jakarta has reportedly confirmed to Congress organisers that a member of the Indonesian government will be in attendance at the Congress.  Local observers have questioned why the Indonesian police are still arresting people for legitimately and peacefully organising internal dialogue when Jakarta is apparently allowing the Third Papuan Peoples’ Congress to take place.
International observers and foreign journalists are still banned by Jakarta from West Papua, so independent monitoring is proving difficult.
Herman Wainggai, an activist for WPNA currently based in Washington DC, said
“Indonesian Authorities arrested them without considering their basic human rights”.    Wainggai also called on the the Indonesia government to immediately release the 10 detainees.   Indonesia should, according to Wainggai, “allow us to have more democratic space during the West Papuan national meeting in October, rather than continuing to arrest people and damage their life while they work for democracy in West Papua”.
No comment was received from the Indonesian police at time of writing in Jayapura on the status of the detainees.
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Report on wrongful arrest of 15 civilians n Wahno-Varia, W Papua

Report on wrongful arrest and torture of 15 civilians in Wahno-Vuria hill, Kotaraja, Jayapura town, Papua Province, 31 August 2011

Produced by: Investigation team comprising KomnasHAM Papua, a student or representative of Cendrawasih University Jayapura, and representatives
and members of the Baptist, Kingmi and Catholic churches

Published by: the Fellowship of Baptist Churches of Papua

September 2011

This is a TAPOL summary

The report is based on the results of an investigation by the Fellowship of Baptist Churches in Papua, including witness statements from the victims and their families, in an aim to publish the facts from the ground.

During July and August 2011, there have been a number of events affecting the security situation in Papua.   These include a number of mysterious murders for which the perpetrator(s) remain unknown, civilian deaths and injuries caused by security forces, repressive actions by security forces, clashes between the security forces and OPM/TPN, election unrest including demos and violence, an attack on the 5-7 July “Papua Peace Conference” at Cenderawasih University, a simultaneous murder at Skyline Jayapura, and a series of events accompanying and following on from the seminar in Oxford, England organized by the International Lawyers for West Papua.   A common feature seems to be that on several occasions the murders and other acts of violence occurred simultaneously across different locations. In most cases the perpetrators appear to remain unknown.

Background to the event on 31 August 2011

According to Biben Kogoya, Chair of RT 08 (RT is the smallest unit of neighbourhood governance), following a meeting of all RT/RW chairs last year, all sharp weapons kept in houses of the local population under the area of their jurisdiction should be collected and kept in the houses of the RT/RW chairs, which Biben Kogoya duly did.   He had heard shortly before the incident that there was going to be a sweeping.   He states that in the week leading up to the incident he had been trying to call the local police in Abepura to inform them of some new TNI members who had been hanging around the area each night between 25-29 August, providing alcohol and encouraging the young people to drink, and asking
them to point out the houses of people they were looking for, including Danny Kogoya, Panius Kogoya, Ekimar Kogoya, Etra Yanengga, and Gidi Wenda.

However, the police did not answer the phone or respond to his reports as chair of RT 08.  On 29 August, Biben had decided to sort this out, but he did not get the chance to do so as he was then arrested.

The events of 31 August 2011:

At 05:00-06:00 on 31 August 2011 a combined unit of 115 members of the army and police carried out sweeping and a siege of 4 houses in the Wahno hill area, RT 08 in Kotaraja Luar, Jayapura.  One of the houses targeted was that of Biben Kogoya (Chair of RT 08). The combined forces arrived in 6 Avanza cars and a police truck, with two of the units equipped with black batons.   They parked 500 meters from the houses in question and placed the area in question under siege, firing a volley of shots towards the houses.

A total of 15 people, including Biben Kogoya, were beaten, tortured, interrogated and exhorted to confess to having committed the Skyline and Nafri murders. Victims were beaten with rifle butts, kicked, slapped, and forced to lie on the ground for a number of hours.   Biben Kogoya was particularly singled out for beatings, and was confronted with an apparently unearthed bullet and some documents, and told to confess to owning these items or be murdered and buried. He was then forced to dig a hole whilst surrounded by security forces who had their guns aimed at him.   He was frightened and thought that he was digging his own grave, but managed to escape into the open.   The combined unit also brought a photograph of the soldier who was murdered on Jalan Baru, Camp Wolker (23/08/11) and asked Biben Kogoya if he had killed him.   The photo was put inside his family photo album and taken out of the family room –  he said he had never put that photograph of the soldier in the photo album.

Then the soldiers said it was Kogoya who killed him, this is the proof, look, it’s in his album. Meanwhile, Ekimar Kogoya was tortured until, unable to withstand the pain any longer, he confessed to the murders.   When pushed to name an accomplice he then named Panius Kogoya.

The houses were ransacked and a number of items such as handphones, money, shoes, a watch, wallets and a bank card were seized.

Throughout the experience, the victims were subjected to degrading treatment, being called variously “dog, pig, cow, animals, murderers, cannibals.” They were also stigmatized as OPM members.

As Biben Kogoya escaped from digging the hole/grave, the Vicar Metius Kogoya arrived, shortly followed by the arrival of the Head of Abepura Police and the provincial Head of Police (Kapolda).  According to the witness statement of the Vicar, the leaders said to their staff “don’t hit them anymore, what’s happened here is already enough.”

Between 12 and 13:00 on 31 August the 15 people were brought to the Polresta.  They were left in the locked truck for some time in the full sun, finding it hard to breath and hurting from their wounds.  They complained, and the truck was moved to the shade.  Then they were taken one by one to sign a notice, without having a lawyer present.  They were each photographed, then sat in front of the door of the investigation unit and interrogated. They were put back in the truck around 23:00-24:00 to sleep except Ekimar and Panius who were detained separately.   They reportedly waited for hours in the truck without food or drink until 06:00 on 1 September. 3 of them became ill and were laid on the floor of the truck.  One policeman helped us, giving us a litre of water (between 13 of us) and a packet of cigarettes.  When they woke in the morning they were not allowed to go to the toilet to urinate or defecate but were told to go to the toilet in the open yard of the police station.

On 1 September at 11:40, the leaders of the Baptist church and human rights activists, accompanied by Matius Murib arrived to visit the detainees, who were sitting in front of the investigation unit of the police station, with the others lying asleep as they had malaria.  13 detainees were released and were taken home at 15:00, arriving at their house at 17:00.  Ekimar and Panius remained in custody.

On 2 September, the 13 victims who had been sent home were taken to the hospital for a medical check up to be given the OK.  It turned out three of them were sick with malaria, so were not given the all clear.  They were:

1. Uwne Kogoya (23) malaria tertian +4

2. Yawenus Kogoya (21) malaria tropika +2

3. Nusman Kogoya (19) high leukosits.

On 3 September the Vicar was called by the police station to come and collect the arrest and detention notices for Panius Kogoya and Ekimar Kogoya, who were both charged with murder and/or violence in a public place against a person or object.

Condition of the victims

Following the incident, the victims suffered internal bruising and were traumatized. They were not able to carry out normal activities or travel very far.  Biben Kogoya’s ability to remember, hear and see properly was reportedly impaired, and his control over his emotions was abnormal.  On 6 September Uwen Wenda was reportedly still in Abepura hospital with malaria tropika and tersiana.

Key recommendations

· Intelligence should be good, accurate and accountable.

· Those currently imprisoned should be released as they are not guilty for the Nafri and Skyline cases.

· The central and Papuan provincial governments should sit down together and discuss the security situation across Papua, which is increasingly unstable.

· The Head of Jayapura Police must be accountable for the arrest and torture of 15 civilians on 31 August, which took place without due legal process.

· Those police and soldiers involved should be punished in accordance with the law.

· The torture, humiliation and stigmatization which happened during the arrests are considered to be grave human rights violations (pelanggaran HAM yang berat).

· The police are responsible for reparations for both material damage and for the psychological recovery of the victims.

· A formal and public apology is needed from the Indonesian police to the victims and their families within ten days.

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