Tag: Kopassus

Ex Freeport worker murdered, mutilated in Timika OTK killing

by West Papua Media

January 23, 2013

The body of Henok Rumansara where found in Kwamki Narama (Photo: Kobawes Kores / Fb)

Papuan civilians around Timika have again been made wary of military provocations that may potentially revive a bloody horizontal conflict, after a former Freeport mine worker’s mutilated body was found in a roadside trench on January 19.

Villagers from Kwamki Narama, just outside Timika, found the badly mutilated body of Hanok Rumansara, 40, from Biak, in a roadside ditch in front of the village.  The autopsy on his body found Rumansara was riddled with over 23 stab wounds, plus a number of injuries cause by blunt objects, according to his human rights observers.

A human rights worker with Komnas Ham, going by the pseudonym Kobewas Kores, posted information on social media that Rumansara had been picked up by a motorcycle taxi (ojek) rider to take him to Kwamki Narama.  Whilst on the road, a group of unknown persons (orang tak kenal or OTK) set up a road block, and was not seen again until his body was found, according to witnesses interviewed by human rights workers.

Indonesian police have claimed that though there is little information to work on, they are pursuing the culprits, according to citizen media website malanesia.com.  Police have also claimed they have interviewed several witnesses and have secured arrows, bow, an axe and wood.  However, Indonesian police have rarely showed a willingness to properly investigate OTK cases, which most credible observers in Papua laying the blame squarely on Indonesian special forces from either Kopassus or Densus 88.

A former worker at the contentious Freeport-McMoRan run giant Grasberg gold and Copper mine, Rumansara had reportedly been active in the ongoing Freeport industrial dispute, according to initial information.  It is unclear why Rumansara had lost his job at the mine, but he was amongst hundreds of workers who failed to regain their jobs after the record-breaking seven month strike ended in December 2011.

Many Papuan ex-Freeport workers have been reportedly stranded from their home regions after not receiving any or enough severance pay from the management of the most lucrative gold mine on the planet.  West Papua Media has no information at this stage to indicate that he was targeted in relation to his involvement at Freeport, or in the strike.  If this were the case, it would represent a major escalation that would backfire significantly on the perpetrators, given the high political organisation of Freeport workers who are already tense given the recent gassing deaths of several workers.

However, Local human rights observers have questioned if the latest OTK killing – the first since community-led peace building put an end to a bloody military-fostered inter-tribal war from 20 May to 5 October 2012 – was a deliberate act of provocation to upset the current fragile peace.  The 2012 horizontal conflict claimed over 2o lives in numerous OTK killings, as well as direct tribal violence, while police and Indonesian military conducted operations deliberately designed to incite violence.

‘Kobewas Kores’ believes that indeed there was an OTK killing, but they got their targeting wrong and killed a man from another part of Papua.

“Is it possible that the killing was deliberately done to give birth to a conflict breaking out in Kwamki Narama village? I think the scenario actually missed the target of an indigenous person to Kwamki Narama.   In this case there are specially trained parties, the Indonesian military is trying to sow confusion in Timika and Papua in general,” Kobewas said.

West Papua Media

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Again, families question TNI legal processes after November shooting of Pastor Frederika Metalmeti

by Oktovianus Pogau
January 7, 2013
Merauke, Papua: Anis Jambormase, a family member of female pastor Frederika Metalmeti (38 years old), is questioning the legal process against the shooting of their child in Boven Digoel, Papua, on 21 November 2012.
https://i0.wp.com/suarapapua.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/TNI-AD-Kontingen-Lomba-Tembak-AARM-ASEAN.jpg
“We still have hope Danrem (KomanDan Korem or Battalion level Commander) 174/ATW from Merauke and the Commander XVII from Cenderwasih will close the legal proceedings.”
When contacted by Suara Papua (suarapapua.com) on 7 January 2013, a statement was delivered by Jambormase in Tanah Merah, Digoel, Papua.
According to Jambormase, through Danrem 174/ATW Merauke, the TNI has confirmed one of the shooters was from the military.  Accordingly, the TNI has pledged to fire any corrupt officers.
“Our family will continue to wait for the trial to take place in the Supreme Military Court in Jayapura”, said Jambormase.
Sadis, Pendeta di Papua Ditembak
Meanwhile, when contacted by the media this afternoon, Lieutenant Inf Jansen Simanjuntak from Cenderwasih, claimed all suspects had already been handed over to the military in Mahmil (Mahkamah Militer or Courts-Martial / Military Court).
Speaking on the telephone, “The military in Mahmil are currently going through the files.  If they’re satisfied, the trial will be held in the near future”.
According to Kependam, since the beginning of the trial, the Commander vowed to proceed with the case.  Any individual members who commit such acts will be severely punished.
“We ask for the family to believe in the Commander’s promise, he is not messing around with this case, the legal proceeding will take place”, said Lieutenan Inf Jansen Simanjuntak.
As reported in the media (Ironis, Dua Oknum Anggota TNI Tembak Mati Pendeta) on 21 November 2012, two people shot dead female priest Frederika Metalmeti close to the police headquarters in Tanah Merah, Digoel.
A hospital official who had conducted an autopsy on one of the victims said gunshot wounds and bruises were found on the body.
There were three shots to the body: the head, the left chest and right arm.  Sharp tools had caused bruises and cuts on the face.
When the national Commission on Human Rights met Commander XVII Major General Zebua Christian from the Cenderawasih military on 30 November 2012, he promised to severely punch rogue member of the military, and that a dismissal process will be considered.
(Translated by West Papua Media volunteer translators)
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Goliat Tabuni denies responsibility for recent Lany Jaya police killings

Bintang Papua
29 November 2012
Jayapura: Goliat Tabuni, the commander of the OPM battalion whose headquarters is in Tingginambut, Puncak Jaya, has denied responsibility for attacking a police station in Lany Jaya on 27 November, saying that his group does not operate in Lany Jaya.
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He said that his men are currently holding a summit conference (KTT) and earlier called on the security forces  not to attack them. ‘Our meeting has been taking place from 26 – 30 November.

Responding to a question about whether former members of his group might have been the perpetrators,  he denied any involvement by his men.. ‘They are not our former members and are not under my commend,’ he said.

He alleged that the perpetrators were from another group which operates in Lany Jaya. [We have omitted the names he mentioned.]

The attack against the police station in Pirime Lany killed three policemen, Inspector Rolfi Takubesi and two other police officers . Two people who were  involved in the attack were also killed.

There are thought to have been around fifty  people in the attack group who also succeeded in seizing three weapons from the police. The police, working together with the TNI – Indonesian military – are currently hunting down the killers.

The chief of the general staff of TPN/OPM, Teryanus Sattoalso said that they knew nothing about the attack on the police station in Pirime. ‘It may have been done by a group that is against us because we are currently very busy preparing for the inauguration of our top commander, deputy commander and members of the general staff who were appointed at our supreme meeting (KTT) last May,’ he said.

‘They are not under my command and we have quite a different agenda which is what we are focusing on now so we know nothing about the attack on the police. ‘After the inauguration  of our new command structure, we will be focusing on internal changes and consolidation.’

‘This is the follow-up of our decisions taken on 30 November after which our high command structure will be appointed. The new commanders will be sworn on in 30 November.

He went on to say that this means that the TPN/OPM today is not the same as the former TPN/OPM. ‘We have undertaken internal reforms  through our top-level meeting (KTT), bringing our organisation into conformity with military standards worldwide.’.

He finally called on media colleagues to be more conscientious in the way they write their media reports and check their information more carefully. ‘Some interviews were said to be of Goliat Tabuni,  but it turns out that it was Anton Tabuni who was speaking. This is something that we have frequently experienced, he said. On this day, Gen Goliat Tabuni was only interviewed by  the Australian media, as well as few local media contacts such as Bintang Papua, Kompas, Media Indonesia and Tempo.

[Abridged translation by TAPOL]

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KNPB leader reportedly resurfaces after disappearing upon release from police detention

Tabloid JUBI, with additional breaking news from Victor Mambor

3 December 2012

On 2 December. members of the National Committee of West Papua (KNPB) were still seeking information regarding the whereabouts of their chairman, Victor Yeimo who was released by the police after being interrogated in connection with the demonstration organised by the KNPB on 1 December.Yeimo was arrested on 1 December but then released on Saturday afternoon, but since then he has not been in contact  with other KNPB activists.

‘Today, after he was taken into custody  by the police in Abepura he was released because we were unable to continue with the questioning,’ a police spokesman told JUBI, when inquiries were made about the status of Yeimo and two others who had been arrested with him.

Although they have been released, the spokesman of KNPB, Wim Medlama  said that they have been looking for them but have not been able to find them.

‘Since yesterday,’ he said, ‘we have been trying to find out where they are but we have been unable to find them. We have searched every place we can think of  without finding them.We are now very confused about what has happened to them.’

He said that they have decided to go to the police in the morning to inquire about this. He also said that they would go to the police in the morning together with the WPNA, AMP and AMPTI.

According to information received obtained by JUBI from other sources,  Yeimo had separated from the  other activists in front of the Post Office in Abepura. Since then, they have not been able to find out anything about his whereabouts. When JUBI tried to contact Yeimo on his mobile, the phone was not active.

However, early Monday morning, Jubi journalist and editor Victor Mambor reported that he had confirmed that Victor Yeimo was already gathered with colleagues.  “Last night, I got an SMS from Mr. Waterpauw (Wakapolda) who says Victor Yeimo was been contacted by Alfred Papare (Kapolresta) on Sunday afternoon (02/11). Victor Yeimo is fine and he switched off his mobile phone for personal reasons. This morning, I got (an) sms from KNPB members who said Victor Yeimo already (was) gathered with them,” Mambor wrote in an email alert.
West Papua Media has attempted to independently contact Papuan police, but no reply has been forthcoming if Yeimo is under charge at the moment, nor to questions of Mr Yeimo’s treatment whilst in the hands of the police.  It is not known if Yeimo has been able to contact human rights lawyers.

Written and verbal questions to Jayapura police to determine Detachment 88 counter-terror unit involvement in his interrogation have also gone unanswered, as have questions as to why Yeimo was released while he is on a Wanted (Daftar Pencarian Orang or DPO) list, allegedly for subversion, and unfounded charges of his alleged involvement in “unknown persons” (Orang Terlatih Khusus) shootings – widely believed by Papuans to be the work of Indonesian special forces.  West Papua Media has documented several cases since the assassination of Mako Tabuni by Detachment 88 troops in June, of scores of highland Papuans who have been brutally mistreated by security forces in the hunt for Yeimo, who has been in hiding for most of this time.

 

[Additional reporting from West Papua Media, Translated by TAPOL]

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FIVE MONTHS AS REFUGEES EATING ONLY SAGO WORMS AND WOOD WORMS

ELSHAM NEWS SERVICE

16 November 2012

Keerom, – It was early and the streets were not too crowded  when I started my journey from Abepura, Kota Baru District at 6.30 a.m. (Papuan time) to Arso, in Keerom which is a drive of about two hours and a half by two wheeler.

After arriving in Arso, I went on to the village of Kwor and arrived at about 9:16 a.m., and from the village of Kwor I continued the journey towards the bivouacs of the internally displaced people (IDPs) who had run into the forests, out of fear for their lives.

During the six-hour drive through the gardens, rivers and forest, I arrived at the bivouacs of the IDPs: the 38 people were scattered in four different bivouacs; they came from three villages, namely, Sawyatami (11 IDPs), Workwana (9 IDPs) and of PIR III Bagia (18 IDPs).

The group of IDPs who settled in the bivouacs in the middle of the forest, is composed of 20 men and 18 women. Among the IDPs, there are seven (7) children under the age of five (toddlers).  In addition to parents and toddlers, there are 15 students consisting of eight (8) elementary school students, four (4) junior high school students and three (3) high school students. These students have not attended school for the last five months.

In the camps, the IDPs could rely only on food collected from around the bivouacs likesago, sago worms, wood worms and wild boar. “We have stayed out here in the forest for five months, and in order to survive, the only thing we could eat were sago worms and wood worms and the only thing we could drink was water from the creek,” said LK (68yr), a traditional leaders who is also on the run.

The condition of the refugees is very deplorable: there are two pregnant women, namely the two-month pregnant Rosalina Minigir (36 yr), and the four-month pregnant Agustina Bagiasi (35 yr). Another woman, Aleda Kwambre (28 yr) gave birth to a baby girl at the shelter camp. At the present, two babies were found to be in very poor health conditions: Penina Pekikir (3 yr) and Ruth Kimber (1 yr), and if the situation persists they could turn critical.

“I am afraid of Kopassus [the Indonesian special forces]. I saw how they came with their guns, entered into the village of PIR III and started shooting. So I was afraid of going to school,” said CK (17) who ran away and stopped attending school because he did not feel safe anymore, after all the acts intimidation by the security forces.

NY (8yr) expressed the same fear as CK, as she says with a timid voice:”It’s been a long time since I attended school, I was afraid when I saw the soldiers flying over the village with their helicopters.”

MT (38yr) also expressed disappointment with the local government of the Keerom District, as it was unable to ensure safety and security for the indigenous Papuans in Keerom. “I am angry because these high officials, local government officials, regents, scholars, community leaders, traditional leaders and religious leaders,  do not care about us in this forest. I was scared when I saw these police officers, they went into the villages and they just started shooting. I was afraid so I had to run into the forest” she said, sobbing.

The refugees expressed the hope that ELSHAM Papua would return with international human rights institutions to mediate their return to their respective villages. “Christmas is near; we were not able to gather money for the celebrations. These children have not attended school for five months. So we really hope that ELSHAM can help us so we can return to our village,” said FK (50yr), filled with hope.

As reported earlier by ELSHAM, the 38 locals had fled from the three villages because they were afraid of ongoing sweeping operations conducted by the joint Indonesian military and police forces in Keerom, since the shooting of Yohanes Yanuprom, the head of the village of Sawyatami on 1 July 2012.

Up to the date of this report, the IDPs remain in the forest without proper food and adequate medicine.

Elsham News Service

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