2) West Papuans given jail time for rebellion
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1) One killed during shootout in Nduga in Papua
News Desk The Jakarta Post
Jakarta / Tue, May 14, 2019 / 12:45 pm
At least one Indonesian Military (TNI) officer was killed in a clash with West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) freedom fighters in Nduga regency, Papua, on Monday morning.
Papua Cendrawasih Military Command spokesman Col. Muhammad Aidi said around 20 TPNPB personnel attacked TNI soldiers who were patrolling Mugi district airfield at 11:15 a.m.
“We have identified that the attackers were a faction of the TPNPB led by Egianus Kogoya,” Aidi said in the provincial capital of Jayapura on Monday as quoted by Antara.
The victim, identified as First Pvt. Kasnum, was shot in the back, Aidi claimed.
“He died at 1 p.m. when being transported to Chiritas Timika Hospital by helicopter. His body will be flown to his hometown in South Aceh [on Tuesday],” Aidi said.
He added TNI personnel stationed at Mugi post provided assistance to the patrol squad. The TPNPB personnel eventually retreated to the forest.
In pursuit of the TPNPB fighters, military personnel reported they found traces of blood, thus it was concluded that a number of freedom fighters were shot during the clash. (kuk)
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2) West Papuans given jail time for rebellion
Two West Papuans have been sentenced to more than a year in an Indonesian prison over a rebellion.
1:35 pm today
Yakonias Womsiwor and Erichzon Mandobar. Photo: Facebook/ Veronica Koman
The jail terms come as several cases are being levelled against West Papuan activists and rebels in the restive region.
Yakonias Womsiwor and Erichzon Mandobar were detained in September when authorities raided the office of a Papuan independence group.
According to their lawyer, on Tuesday a judge in the Timika district court sentenced Mr Womsiwor to one year and six months jail.
His co-defendant got one year and three months in prison.
Both were sentenced under a criminal law for coercion and rebellion.
Lawyer Veronica Koman says she's considering an appeal of the judgement.
During their arrests in Timika, the defendants were shot several times and denied medical attention until rights groups brought attention to their case.
Mr Womsiwor was shot six times in total, while Mr Mandobar was shot once, according to Amnesty International and Ms Koman.
"They were shot without warning as the law required," Ms Koman said, adding that they were later allowed to be treated by their families.
Their arrests were part of a raid on the Timika secretariat of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), which was later seized by police.
Earlier in the trial, police and prosecutors had claimed the men were found with ammunition and guns, which the defendants denied was theirs, according to Ms Koman.
She said during the trial two police officers, including a deputy police chief, called as witnesses testified that military personnel had placed the ammunition and guns at the KNPB offices.
Ms Koman added that the sentencing on Monday did not give proper consideration to statements made by the defence.
The sentences come just days after a Polish tourist was jailed for five years for plotting to sell arms to West Papuan rebels.
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