Jakarta – Tabernacle Bible Church of Indonesia (GKII) Synod Chairperson Daniel Ronda admits to being disappointed that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has yet to respond to the shooting of Pastor Yeremia Zanambani, who was shot dead near his residence in the Hitadipa district of Intan Jaya regency in Papua on Saturday September 19.
“We deplore the government’s position which up until today has yet to make any comment whatsoever about this incident. Either from Pak [Mr] Jokowi, or anyone else”, said Ronda during a virtual press conference organised by the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) on Thursday September 24.
He said that the GKII is still of the view that the TNI (Indonesian military) is responsible for the killing of the religious leader in Papua.
Ronda explained that this suspicion will not change until there is an explanation and clarification from an investigation conducted by the government.
GKII Synod working body chairperson Andrikus Mofu took the opportunity to touch on Widodo’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday September 22 in which Widodo showed that he was very concerned about the problems in the world, including the conflict in Palestine. The Papuan people, he said, need to question this concern.
“This makes us ask our president, to what extent as the head of state [are you] responsible for resolving the problems which are currently being faced by the Indonesian people”, said Mofu, “More specifically those which are happing in the land of Papua”.
Mofu also said that the government and the Indonesian public cannot ignore the series of incidents which have claimed human lives in Papua, either civilians or TNI and Indonesian police personnel. The state needs to be serious about resolving these deep rooted problems in Papua.
“I’m reminding [the government] to immediately form an independent team to conduct a fair, balanced investigation to reveal [the truth] behind the incidents which have occurred recently in Papua”, said Mofu.
In addition to this, he added, Widodo needs to reevaluate the massive military deployment in Papua.
“I ask the government, Bapak President to immediately reevaluate it. Especially with regard to the massive deployment of troops in Papua”, said Mofu. “Which in the end have never resolved the problems in Papua”.
The shooting of Zanambani has attracted public attention because of the repeated incidents of violence which have occurred in Papua which to this day have yet to be clarified.
The TNI says that the Free Papua Organisation-West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB-OPM), which the government calls an Armed Criminal Group (KKB), shot Zanambani. The TPNPB-OPM meanwhile accuses the TNI of killing the pastor.
Cenderawasih/Regional Military Command XVII commander Major General Herman Asaribab said that he has ordered his officers to be involved in the investigation into the shooting.
The Papua regional police meanwhile have also sent a team of investigators to the Bomba Village to question Zanambani’s wife and say they will conduct a reenactment at the scene of the crime.
And it is not just the police and military. The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) is also preparing an investigation team to look into Zanambani’s killing.
Komnas HAM Commissioner Beka Ulung Hapsara says that the Komnas HAM’s representative office in Papua has already received a complaint directly from Papuan Traditional Council (DAP) Secretary John Gobay with regard to the incident. (mjo/kid)
[Translated by James Balowski. Abridged slightly for readably. The original title of the article was” Gereja Kecewa Jokowi Belum Bersikap atas Penembakan Pendeta”.]
Source: https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20200924183534-12-550639/gereja-kecewa-jokowi-belum-bersikap-atas-penembakan-pendeta
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4) Third pastor killed in Papua this century, says church fellowship
By PMC Editor - September 25, 2020
By Benny Mawel and Budi Sutrisno in Jayapura and Jakarta
The killing of Pastor Yeremia Zanambani in Intan Jaya regency, Papua, last weekend – allegedly carried out by personnel from the Indonesian military (TNI) – is the third case targeting a churchman in Papua since 2004, says a church fellowship.
The TNI has denied involvement in all three killings, accusing pro-independence rebels of killing two of them and claiming that the other one was not actually dead.
Human rights institutions have called on the government to open an independent investigation to shed light on the killings.
The president of the Papuan Baptist Churches Fellowship, Rev Socratez Sofyan Yoman, has alleged that prior to Yeremia, TNI members had shot dead two other pastors – Geyimin Nirigi and Elisa Tabuni – in separate incidents.
Geyimin was killed in Mapenduma district, Nduga regency, on December 19, 2018, he said, adding that the victim was reportedly forced to dig a grave in the backyard of his house, before being shot dead and his body burned.
“[Geyimin] had been a church pioneer since 1963. He was an old man, a figure who had received the gospel in Nduga,” Rev Socratez said.
Socratez said a TNI spokesman at that time had denied the allegation, saying Geyimin was alive and well.
Investigation results
However, he added, the results of an investigation by the Papuan Human Integrity Justice and Peace Foundation showed that Geyimin had died, allegedly at the hands of TNI personnel.
Meanwhile, Elisa Tabuni was reportedly handcuffed and shot dead by members of the Army’s Special Forces (Kopassus) in Tingginambut district, Puncak Jaya regency, on August 16, 2004, Rev Socratez said.
He said the TNI had also denied this allegation, claiming that Tabuni had died at the hands of Goliath Tabuni, a pro-independence leader based in the district.
Rev Socratez strongly condemned the recent killing of Pastor Zanambani, as well as the other two cases, saying that it was “an accursed act before God and man”.
“The cruelty, violence and savagery of the TNI against the pastors is an affront to humanity and should be condemned,” he said.
Local news reports in Papua have reported that Pastor Zanambani was shot dead on his way to his pig pen on Saturday, at the same time as a military operation was taking place.
Rev Socratez said at least seven churches had been emptied, with many members of the congregations fleeing into the forests, as a result of military operations in Papua.
Rev Zanambani was the head of a theological school in Hitadipa district in Intan Jaya and a pastor in the Imanuel Hutadipa congregation of the Indonesian Evangelical Christian Church (GKII). He was also a Bible translator and a community leader of the Moni tribe.
Moni tribe investigating
Executives of the GKII and the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI), as well as figures from the Moni tribe, are currently probing the incident.
The PGI has sent a letter to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, urging him to establish an independent team to thoroughly investigate this case, with support from the Papuan Police and the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) in Papua.
Rev Socratez urged Jokowi to end military operations in Papua. He also urged the Papuan Council of Churches (WPCC) to write to the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) and the World Council of Churches (WCC) to urge Pacific island nations to raise the issue at a United Nations forum.
Komnas HAM commissioner Beka Ulung Hapsara said the commission had received a report regarding the latest incident from Papuan Students Alliance head John Gobay on Monday, and had immediately launched an investigation into the case.
“We have not concluded who is responsible. However, Komnas HAM believes that the government needs to evaluate its security approach in Papua to stop the cycle of violence involving TNI, armed groups and civil society, to which a long list of people have fallen victim,” Hapsara said.
Amnesty International Indonesia executive director Usman Hamid urged the government to investigate Rev Zanambani’s case and provide an explanation whether TNI personnel were responsible for the incident.
“This shooting again shows the failure of the state to bring peace to Papua. Since the beginning of the year, there have been at least 15 cases of extrajudicial shootings there. When can Papuans be free to live in peace?” Usman said in a statement.
Armed group
The Papua Police said the latest incident was committed by an “armed group”, aiming to attract global attention ahead of the UN General Assembly scheduled for the end of this month, although the police were investigating the motive behind the shooting.
TNI spokesperson for the Joint Regional Defence Command III in Papua Colonel Gusti Nyoman Suriastawa also said Rev Zanambani had been shot by an armed group, although he said he was still waiting for the results of an investigation by the Cendrawasih Regional Military Command.
“I don’t know [if there were two previous cases]. It’s been a long time. I’m afraid I might provide an incorrect statement. Let’s all wait for the investigation while we mourn the deceased,” he said.
Cendrawasih Regional Military Command spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Reza Patria said on Tuesday that his team was still investigating the incident and declined to elaborate further.
Wenda condemns Papua ‘killing zone’
At the United Nations, United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) chair Benny Wenda issued a statement condemning the killing of Pastor Zanambani.
“We [have] received another example of what ‘Special Autonomy’ means for us. Pastor Yeremia Zanambani, a loved religious leader in the regency of Intan Jaya, was murdered in cold-blood by colonial Indonesian troops,” he said.
“We know that the history of imperialism – in West Papua as elsewhere – is a history written in blood. We will not accept another 20 years ‘Special Autonomy’ bloodshed.
“Under the eyes of the world, as the UN General Assembly meets, another pastor has been killed by Indonesia.
The UN may be celebrating 75 years of its existence, but for us it has been 57 years of being ignored by the UN.
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From INDOLEFT News service
Apologies for the delay in posting this.5) Prabowo approves recruitment of 1,000 Special Autonomy soldiers in West PapuaAntara News - September 7, 2020Toyiban, Manokwari -- Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto has approved a program to recruit 1,000 Special Autonomy non-commissioned officers (Bintara Otsus) which was proposed by the West Papua/Kasuari/XVIII Regional Military Command (Kodam).Kodam Kasuari commander Major General Ali Hamdan Bogra explained that the recruitment of the 1,000 Bintara Otsus would be done in cooperation with the West Papua provincial government and all regency and municipal government. Participants that can take part in the recruitment will be indigenous Papuan women and men."The candidates will come from all regencies and cities in the territory of West Papua. Participants can register themselves with the closest Korem [Sub-Regional Military Command] and Kodim [District Military Command] in their respective areas", said Bogra in Manokwari on Monday September 7.Bogra said that the participants who are accepted will be trained at military battalion headquarters (Rindam) throughout Indonesia bearing in mind that the Rindam XVIII/Kasuari's infrastructure is still limited.The hope is, said Bogra, that the Bintara Otsus can be deployed back to regencies and cities throughout West Papua as motivators to mobilise the youth generation to step forward in safeguarding the stability of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).Kasuari/XVIII Chief of Staff Brigadier General Ferry Zein said earlier that they are currently discussing the program with governors, regencies and mayors through West Papua province. It is hoped that the program will be paid for by Special Autonomy funds."It's hoped that this program will be an opportunity for indigenous Papuan women and men to have a career as a TNI [Indonesian military] member", said Zein.Zein said that Kodam Kasuari still needs many personnel new units that they want to establish and it is hoped that local people can fill this deficit. He said that Kodam Kasuari is still quite new and still growing, adding that they are pushing for the formation of five new Kodim and one Korem in Fakfak to support Kodam Kasuari's work."West Papua is vast, Kodam only has one Korem at present. Because of this it must be augmented by at least one more Korem. We will form a brigade, so we need many personnel to fill it", said Zein.Zein explained that over the last few years indigenous Papuan women and men have been prioritised in the recruitment of new members and Kodam is allocating 80 percent of positions to local recruits.[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Menhan Prabowo setujui perekrutan 1.000 Bintara Otsus Papua Barat".]Source: https://papua.antaranews.com/berita/582550/menhan-prabowo-setujui-perekrutan-1000-bintara-otsus-papua-barat---------------------------------------------------------------INDOLEFT News service 
