The bupati (head) of the district of Jayawijaya, Jhon Wempi Wetipo, has expressed his deepest regret at brutal actions taken by members of the 736 Wamena battalion who went on the rampage, damaging a number of government facilities, following the death of a soldier who had been set upon by local people.
He said that the correct way to respond to the attack of one of their colleagues was to hand the case over to the police for the matter to be handled in accordance with the law.
‘I very much regret what happened in Honai Lama, seeing it spread to the city. Facilities that have been built by the government should be guarded by forces of the state, not destroyed,’ he said.
‘What is the purpose of such actions? It means just destroying things that have been built with money from the people’.
He said that the various government authorities in the district will hold a meeting to discuss what needs to be done in this matter. The facilities that were destroyed included some offices and a shopping mall that had only just been built.
He said that the attacks on members of the security forces had occurred after local people were infuriated because two men on a motorbike knocked down a young child.
One of the soldiers who was attacked has since died after a stab pierced his heart. The other soldier is in a critical condition afer been stabbed in the chest.
Following the atack on the soldiers, dozens of their colleagues went on the rampage in the town of Wamena and the situation became uncontrollable. ‘Even the police were unable to do anything.’
CURRENT DEVELOPING SITUATION: CREDIBLE AND CONFIRMED REPORTS ARE EMERGING FROM WAMENA DETAILING RAMPAGE BY INDONESIAN TROOPS FROM KOSTRAD BATTALION 756;
Summary:
Two members of Indonesian army battalion 756 kill small Papuan boy in car accident;
Local residents attack soldiers for killing child, kill two soldiers;
TNI and Police are now setting fire to houses, shops and kiosks;
Reports of indiscriminate firing and major casualties;
Major exodus as thousands of residents flee Wamena;
Local human rights workers fear repeat of Bloody Wamena 2000;
Australian supported Detachment 88 unit allegedly involved in rampage.
A bloody and brutal rampage by Indonesian security forces is currently underway in Wamena, in the Baliem Valley of West Papua, after two soldiers were killed for running down a small boy in Wamena on Wednesday afternoon.
At time of writing, up to 500 houses have allegedly been set alight by soldiers from Battalion 756 Mim Anesili Wamena, and kiosks and shops have been hit with flamethrowers in the suburbs of Honailama and Sinakma. Live ammunition is being fired indiscriminately according to local human rights sources, who claim that “scores” of people have been brutally beaten and shot by rampaging soldiers. Exact casualty figures have not been able to be confirmed, however unconfirmed claims are circulating that 13 people have been shot dead so far.
Unverified photo claimed to be of Indonesian Brimob police and Australian-supported Detachment 88 counter-terror patrol outside Honailama after the first shootings by rampaging TNI battalion 756 soldiers. June 6, 2012. (West Papua Media local source)
The situation unfolded on Wednesday afternoon in the outlying village of Honailama when two members of Kostrad (Strategic Reserve) battalion 756, identified as Pratu Ahmad Saifudin and Pratu Ahmad Saelan, were driving a car at speed through Honailama, and hit a young boy (as yet unidentified) who was playing at the roadside. The soldiers were alleged to have been careless, and enraged villagers – including clan members of the boy – dragged the soldiers from the car and beat them to death.
Upon hearing of the beatings, the entire army battalion (1500 combat troops) was mobilised onto the streets of Wamena, and according to witnesses, have opened fire indiscriminately at any Papuan person. The battalion is also being supported in a search and cordon operation by the entire Wamena Brimob police commando battalion, and also officers from the Australian-trained and funded Detachment 88 counter-terrorist group. All elements of the Indonesian security forces present in Wamena are participating in the rampage operation, amid unconfirmed reports of hundreds of arrests.
Local sources are reporting that the carnage is so intense that smoke is filling the entire Baliem Valley and covering the town.
A witness has spoken to the West Papua Media team and confirmed the situation in Wamena. “It happened in front of my house in the compound I live. Soldiers have shot and hit people. The army beat innocent people who know nothing and did not understand why. This is really a violation of human rights. My house was stoned and the glass window was shattered into pieces,” the witness, who asked not to be named, told West Papua Media via SMS.
Human Rights sources in Wamena are saying that local people are terrified that the Indonesian army actions look like they will eclipse the “Bloody Wamena” incident of 6 October 2000. That incident saw hundreds of people wounded and at least 38 people shot dead or dying from injuries inflicted by Indonesian torture in the aftermath of a flag-raising incident.
According to Sebby Sambon, a Wamena-native human rights worker said, “Some friends called me a few hours ago top say that the TNI and POLRI are shooting local peoples in every place in the town of Wamena. Some Papuans civilians (have been) killed by TNI and POLRI two hours ago (about 7pm Wamena time – WPM). We hope UN and all UN member states keep their attention on the situation. “
Sambon also said that TNI and POLRI forces are also burning local houses both in and outside the town of Wamena. This is a developing situation – please stay tuned to West Papua Media newswire.
Media note: Photos and video of this ongoing situation are currently being sourced, and West Papua Media will upload links for general distribution, on condition of credit to West Papua Media, when it becomes available. Donations to cover costs would be appreciated if broadcast.
Credible but unconfirmed reports have been received by West Papua Media reporting that a major operation is currently being carried out by a combined force of of Australian trained and armed police and military special forces.
One extra company of Brimob police commandos from Manokwari have been flown in to take part in the raids on the civilian village of Anotaurei on Yapen Island, near the regional centre of Serui.
Witnesses have alleged that a joint-force of Indonesian Army (TNI), Brimob commandos and the elite counter-terrorism force Detachment 88 ( trained and funded by the Australian Federal Police) are intensifying their ongoing “Sweeping” against peaceful political activists and ordinary villagers.
The raid began at 11pm West Papua time in Anotaurei, and witnesses have claimed that 2 trucks, 3 police Avanza SUVs and a Kijang full of armed troops are patrolling and forcing entry in a house-to-house search and cordon operation.
Messages received by West Papua Media have alleged the troops are acting with great violence, and damaging property as they inspect homes, and seizing banned Morning Star banners and flags, sharp tools, kitchen equipment, and “documents” about the Free West Papua movement. These documents include flyers for rallies and pamphlets. Anyone found in possession of these are in danger of arrest, with Activists and human rights advocates expressing grave fears for their safety.
At time of writing the sweep operation is ongoing and likely to target outlying villages. This is a developing story – please stay tuned for more information.
Bintang Papua, 3 June 2012The chairman of the MRP (Majelis Rakyat Papua), Timotius Murib, has urged the police in Papua to investigate who it was who shot a German citizen. In many of such cases, he said, the explanation given is that something like this is the work of an unidentified person (OTK). The police have been unable to reveal the identity of people responsible for shootings in Timika, in Puncak Jaya and even in the city of Jayapura.
Murib said that it was very regrettable that such cases in three different places in Papua have not be solved. The police are the ones who are in the best position to investigate these shooting incidents, but the fact is that despite the police being in possession of all the necessary equipment, those responsible have not been found.
It is not enough to get witnesses who say that the person responsible for these incident had fuzzy hair. ‘Getting statements like this from witnesses is far from adequate for the police to solve these cases.’
He said that it was essential for the police to investigate this latest shooting as quickly as possible, especially because the newly-elected governor of the province is soon to be installed and this should not happen while Papuan people are burdened by a sense of fear and uncertainty.
A similar view was expressed by Yusman Conoras of the ALDP, the Alliance for Democracy in Papua. ‘The police are the ones who know better than anyone what needs to be done to investigate this case.
One of the main duties of the police is to ensure that people feel safe, but at present, people in Jayapura feel very fearful when shooting incidents like this occur and even try to find their own solution.’This could be by deciding not to leave their homes for fear of something happening.or not going out in the evening.’
It is for the police to investigate this shooting incident and to do everything to ensure the people feel safe.
West Papuan human rights activist, Sebby Sambom has declared that the Indonesian government has armed a group of civilian personnel in Papua which have been armed armed in order to carry out actions like the shooting of a foreign visitor, in order to damage the reputation of Papuan people in the outside world.’
He said that the shooting of the German, Dietmar Pieper, was part of a political conspiracy of the Indonesian government to undermine international opinion regarding the People people, claiming that the perpetrator of the shooting was by someone from the OPM or its armed wing, Tentara Pembebasan Papua.
‘The government has decided upon this conspiracy, now that the international community is paying greater attention to Papua, as was the case at a UN session on 23 May this year. The shooting was clearly the work of a Papuan who is now in the pay of the Indonesian government,’ said Sambom, who has spent time in prison as a political prisoner.
This can be proven, he said, by the fact that the Indonesians have armed some indigenous Papuans who have now decided to ally themselves with the Indonesians. He also drew attention to the emergence of other pro-NKRI groups in Papua such as the Barisan Merah Putih – the Red-and-White Brigade – which is trying to stir up conflict in Papua.
‘I have proof of the fact that some Papuans have been armed by the government. I have in my possession the licences of some Papuan people who own guns and I am willing to show this evidence to someone from media or to the general public,’ he said.
This is all part of attempts being made to discredit the struggle of the Papuan people in the eyes of the international community.
Sambom said that it was very important to exert presure pressure on the Gernan govermnet to adopt a firm stand with regard the shooting of one of its citizens here on Indonesian territory. ‘The German government should press for an independent team to be set up to investigate who was responsible for this shooting,’ said Sambom.
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