2) Soldier kills two civilians in Papua: Military
3) TNI Apologizes for Papua Shooting, Says ‘Two or Three’ Shots Fired
4) Two Killed, Four Injured in Papua Shooting Involving Military
5) Editorial: Jokowi and the foreign press
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1) Two soldiers arrested over Papua shooting
Nethy Dharma Somba, thejakartapost.com, Jayapura, Papua | Archipelago | Fri, August 28 2015, 3:50 PM - See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/28/two-soldiers-arrested-over-papua-shooting.html#sthash.oTxOXYlj.dpuf
Two Army officers were arrested on Friday for allegedly killing two men and injuring two others in Timika Baru district in Papua.
First Sergeant Arshar and Sergeant Head Makher from the Timika Military Command were both taken to the Military Police office in Timika after killing Imanuel Mailmaur, 23, and Yulianus Okoare, 23, and injuring Marthinus Apokapo, 24, and Martinus Imapula, 25, who were shot in the hip and foot respectively.
“They were both guilty and they should be held responsible for their behavior,” the commander of Merauke Regional Military Command, Brig. Gen. Supartodi, told The Jakarta Post.
Supartodi said that the two officers were drunk when they opened fire into a crowd of people.
Two different versions of what happened during the incident have circulated among the public.
The Army version states that the two officers only defended themselves after the crowd tried to seize their weapons.
However, witnesses in the crowd said that those two officers were already drunk when they approached the crowd.
Papua Police chief Brig. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw is currently in Timika to assist with the handling of the situation. (ika)
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2) Soldier kills two civilians in Papua: Military
Agence France-Presse, Timika, Papua | National | Fri, August 28 2015, 8:16 PM -
Papuans carry coffins of their shot-dead relatives during a funeral ceremony in Timika, in restive Papua province, on Friday. Two people died and three others were injured after an Indonesian soldier opened fire to a group of civilians in the restive Papua province, an official said. (AFP/Isrul Aditra) -
Two people died and three others were injured Friday when a solider opened fire on a group of civilians in restive Papua province, a military official said Friday.
Papua military spokesman Teguh Pudji Rahardjo said the incident began when a soldier was attacked by a mob in Timika.
A second soldier who came to his aid was also set upon, he said, prompting one of the troops to fire several shots to dispel the crowd.
"Two people died and three other civilians were injured," Rahardjo told AFP.
The two deceased men were 18 and 23 years, local media reported.
In a statement, the Indonesian military condemned the actions of its troops.
"This was a criminal act committed by Indonesian army soldiers, therefore it is now being handled by internal affairs," military spokesman E. Sodik said.
It is difficult to independently verify information from Papua, as Jakarta keeps a tight grip on the resource-rich region with a heavy police and military presence and there are restrictions on foreigners reporting from the area.
Violent clashes are not uncommon in the eastern region, where poorly armed fighters have been waging a low-level insurgency against Jakarta for decades on behalf the mostly ethnic Melanesian population.
Last year at least four teenagers were shot dead in Papua in a clash with security forces, although rights campaigners accused police of opening fire on protesters.
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3) TNI Apologizes for Papua Shooting, Says ‘Two or Three’ Shots Fired
By : Robert Vanwi Subiyat | on 08:32 AM August 28, 2015
Jayapura. The Indonesian Military (TNI) said on Friday that a shooting that left dead two civilians and injured four in Papua early on Friday indeed involved one of its soldiers, but added that only "two to three" shots were fired, in self-defense.
Brig. Gen. Supartodi, a local military commander, claimed the shooting occurred as a beleaguered sergeant tried to defend himself against a mob of locals.
"The service member shot two to three times, and hit local people," Supartodi told journalists.
Two local men were killed, with a further four sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.
The incident took place in Koperaoka village, some 50 meters from the Gorong Gorong checkpoint in Timika.
"[The sergeant] saw there was an argument near the [Gorong Gorong] post ... Local people ganged up on the other service members and this [sergeant] wanted to help but was also swarmed with locals even trying to grab his gun."
Supartodi said he would visit Timika to meet with local leaders in an effort to defuse the situation.
Meanwhile, Cenderawasih military command spokesman Lt. Col. Teguh Pudhi Rahardjo named First Sgt. Ashar as the one responsible for firing the shots.
Teguh explained Ashar had been looking for Chief Sgt. Makher, who had been surrounded by local people. Ashar was then also crowded by the mob, he said.
"Ashar was swarmed by local people. He fell and was covered in blood. As Ashar was pushed, he loaded his gun and shot upward twice. Then some of the people backed out and some came close to get his gun. Ashar told us that he shot toward at the people but aimed for their legs," he said.
Teguh said Ashar was being held by military police.
"The Cenderawasih military command has apologized to the families of the victims and we will help them. We will proceed with a legal process against the [sergeant] and also help the surviving victims," the military spokesman said.
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4) Two Killed, Four Injured in Papua Shooting Involving Military
By : Robert Vanwi Subiyat | on 07:30 AM August 28, 2015
Jayapura. Two civilians were killed and another four injured in a shooting involving members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) after an argument in Koperaoka village in Timika, Papua, in the early morning hours on Friday.
Imanuel Mairimau, 23, died from a gunshot wound to the back of the head and Yulianus Okoare, 23, died after he was shot in the stomach.
Four others — Martinus Apokapo, Martinus Impatura, Thomas Apoka and Moses Umapi — were hospitalized after sustaining injuries in the shooting. They were all taken to the emergency unit of Mimika Regional Hospital.
A witness, who declined to be named, said that before the incident took place members of the community were having a party and closed down a street in the area, Jalan Bhayangkara. Two soldiers then broke through the barrier as they wanted to pass the road.
The witness said bystanders rebuked the military personnel, leading to an argument and a gathering of people surrounding the soldiers.
"Not long afterwards three other TNI members arrived on black motorcycles, carrying guns and shooting at the local people," the witness told Suara Pembaruan.
Lt. Teguh Pudhi Raharjo, spokesman at the Cendrawasih Military Command, identified the person who fired the shots as First Sgt. Ashar, adding that the shooting appeared to have been necessary to protect the beleaguered military personnel.
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5) Editorial: Jokowi and the foreign press
The Jakarta Post | Editorial | Fri, August 28 2015, 9:04 AM -
Back in May both national and international media greeted President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s decision to lift decades-long restrictions on foreign media access in Papua, calling the move a step in the right direction toward Indonesia’s full commitment to press freedom.
But only a few weeks later what was thought to be a promising initiative had already led to disappointment as then chief security minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno said the government would maintain its “clearance house” team that scrutinized the visits of foreign journalists to Papua. Without giving clarification, let alone denial, concerning his minister’s archaic approach, the President left room for speculation that he was not actually in command, or that he simply did not care if his directive had fallen on deaf ears.
Now his subordinates are moving to widen restrictions of foreign journalists. Not only in Papua, but in all parts of the country foreign media, both print and electronic, will have to secure permission from local governments before conducting reportage.
Director General of Political and General Administration at the Ministry of Home Affairs Soedarmo said on Wednesday the new regulation followed an agreement among ministries and state institutions responsible for monitoring foreigners that it was important to keep an eye on all activities of foreign journalists in the country.
In an effort to clarify the issue, Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said on Thursday the new regulation was needed to prevent foreign journalists from conducting intelligence activities. His explanation, however, will only raise more eyebrows, unless there is a precedent for the regulation.
It seems suspicion is behind the policy and if that is the case the government could take aim at all foreigners. Another possible motive is the government’s discontent with foreign media reports, which naturally describe Indonesia from an outsider’s point of view.
Whatever the reasons behind the new regulation, it has already cast doubt over this government’s respect for press freedom. The government’s plan to tighten its control of foreign media marks a setback for Indonesian democracy, where the press has been recognized as the fourth estate that completes the executive, legislative and judiciary powers to make democracy function well.
The press knows no borders. Local and foreign journalists are doing the same job of ensuring the public’s right to know is fulfilled and bound by the same code of conduct. They are only different in terms of nationality.
It is indeed beyond our imagination if Jokowi, dubbed a media darling during the presidential race and after his rise to power, will have the heart to stifle the press, especially foreign journalists. But the drafting of the new regulation to monitor foreign media serves as more proof of the gap in attitudes between him and his subordinates in dealing with the press.
We don’t think Jokowi has forgotten his own words while visiting the country’s easternmost region Merauke in May that “foreign journalists, as of today, are allowed to enter Papua as freely as they enter other provinces”. We only demand that he realize his promise. -
But only a few weeks later what was thought to be a promising initiative had already led to disappointment as then chief security minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno said the government would maintain its “clearance house” team that scrutinized the visits of foreign journalists to Papua. Without giving clarification, let alone denial, concerning his minister’s archaic approach, the President left room for speculation that he was not actually in command, or that he simply did not care if his directive had fallen on deaf ears.
Now his subordinates are moving to widen restrictions of foreign journalists. Not only in Papua, but in all parts of the country foreign media, both print and electronic, will have to secure permission from local governments before conducting reportage.
Director General of Political and General Administration at the Ministry of Home Affairs Soedarmo said on Wednesday the new regulation followed an agreement among ministries and state institutions responsible for monitoring foreigners that it was important to keep an eye on all activities of foreign journalists in the country.
In an effort to clarify the issue, Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said on Thursday the new regulation was needed to prevent foreign journalists from conducting intelligence activities. His explanation, however, will only raise more eyebrows, unless there is a precedent for the regulation.
It seems suspicion is behind the policy and if that is the case the government could take aim at all foreigners. Another possible motive is the government’s discontent with foreign media reports, which naturally describe Indonesia from an outsider’s point of view.
Whatever the reasons behind the new regulation, it has already cast doubt over this government’s respect for press freedom. The government’s plan to tighten its control of foreign media marks a setback for Indonesian democracy, where the press has been recognized as the fourth estate that completes the executive, legislative and judiciary powers to make democracy function well.
The press knows no borders. Local and foreign journalists are doing the same job of ensuring the public’s right to know is fulfilled and bound by the same code of conduct. They are only different in terms of nationality.
It is indeed beyond our imagination if Jokowi, dubbed a media darling during the presidential race and after his rise to power, will have the heart to stifle the press, especially foreign journalists. But the drafting of the new regulation to monitor foreign media serves as more proof of the gap in attitudes between him and his subordinates in dealing with the press.
We don’t think Jokowi has forgotten his own words while visiting the country’s easternmost region Merauke in May that “foreign journalists, as of today, are allowed to enter Papua as freely as they enter other provinces”. We only demand that he realize his promise. -
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