2) Witnesses tell Amnesty investigators that TNI killed Papuan pastor
3) Papuans doubtful over govt team to probe shootings
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1) Three people shot during a protest over civil servant test results in Papua
Benny Mawel
The Jakarta Post Jayapura / Sat, October 3, 2020 / 05:43 pm
Three men from Waris district in Keerom regency, Papua, have reportedly been shot with rubber bullets as police attempted to disperse a mass gathering protesting civil servant (CPNS) recruitment results on Thursday. One of the protesters, Karel Maunda, claimed the police had not fired warning shots. “We are disappointed because the police directly fired [into the crowd] and hit three Papuans,” he told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
Papua Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Ahmad Mustafa Kamal confirmed that Obet Swo, Robert May and Alan Swo had been hit with rubber bullets fired by police who were trying to disperse the crowd. He added that the protestors had damaged the Keerom regent’s office and set the Keerom Manpower Agency building on fire. Obet and Robert are currently being treated at Bhayangkara Hospital in Jayapura while Alan is being held at the Keerom Police headquarters.
Read also: Papuans doubtful over govt team to probe shootings
The police have named three out of four detainees suspects for alleged destruction of property and arson, Ahmad said without elaborating on their identities. Around 250 people protested the results of a 2018 selection test for civil servant candidates on Thursday afternoon. They allegedly went to the regent’s office and started to throw rocks at the building. “A joint security team then fired warning shots and tear gas,” Ahmad said.
The mass then continued their protest at the Keerom Manpower Agency and Village Empowerment Body, where they allegedly started several fires. Ahmad said security personnel was able to calm the protest after engaging in a dialogue with local figures. The situation was under control but officers are still standing guard, he added.
Naomi Kwambre, daughter of tribal chief Hubertus Kwambre, explained that protestors had thought that the CPNS test results did not comply with a regulation that ensures 80 percent of civil servant positions would go to Papuans. "The people who have gathered for the announcement spontaneously threw things at the regent’s office,” said Naomi. The protesters occupied the area until 8 p.m. local time and blocked a road near the regent’s office. (aly)
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2) Witnesses tell Amnesty investigators that TNI killed Papuan pastor
Satellite image showing location of Zanambani’s house, military post and pig pen (Suara Papua) Body Devina Halim, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia has revealed a number of provisional findings on the recent shooting of Papuan pastor Yeremia Zanambani in Intan Jaya, Papua.
Devina Halim, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia has revealed a number of provisional findings on the recent shooting of Papuan pastor Yeremia Zanambani in Intan Jaya, Papua.
According to Amnesty International Indonesia researcher Ari Pramuditya, witnesses revealed that the alleged perpetrators of the shooting were TNI (Indonesian military) personnel from a military post located not far from Zanambani’s home.
“From the chronology that we put together, witnesses said that the shooting was allegedly committed by a TNI member assigned to a school [military] post”, said Pramuditya during a virtual press conference on Friday October 2.
From a satellite image obtained by Amnesty, it can be seen that Zanambani’s house is located opposite the military post.
Based on information gathered by Amnesty, the military post is located near the Injili Church Schooling and Education Foundation One Roof School in Hitadipa.
Pramuditya said that the military post was established nine months ago and witnesses also said that the alleged perpetrator had been staffing the military post for some time.
“So we think that it makes quite good sense when witnesses say that they know the person who committed the shooting of the pastor”, he said.
“Moreover, before his death, the pastor also related an incident that he experienced to a witness just before his death”, said Pramuditya.
The other information obtained by Amnesty relates to a meeting of the Papua Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Synod community in Hitadipa and Zanambani’s family.
Pramuditya said that the meeting on September 24 was also attended by the regent, deputy regional police chief and the district military commander. Pramuditya added that Zanambani’s family was given bereavement money by the regent.
Nevertheless, Amnesty insists that the perpetrator of the shooting must be investigated and tried in open court. “Providing bereavement money in any form cannot be allowed to halt the criminal investigation into this case”, said Pramuditya.
Amnesty is still carrying out a verification and investigation into all aspects of the case. The information revealed to date are preliminary findings which have been able to be fully verified yet.
As has been reported, Pastor Yeremia Zanambani was shot dead in Hitadipa Village, Hitadipa district, Intan Jaya regency, Papua, on Saturday September 19.
The TNI says that Zanambani was shot dead by an armed criminal group (KKB) – the government’s name for the Free Papua Organisation (OPM).
West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) spokesperson Sebby Sambon however said that Zanambani was killed by TNI personnel.
Papua regional police public relations division head Senior Commissioner AM Kamal meanwhile has also denied accusations that the TNI were the perpetrator of the fatal shooting.
Kamal explained that there is no TNI post in Hitadipa and the statement by Sambon has no basis and is only intended to worsen the situation.
According to Kamal, the Zanambani’s killers were from an armed criminal group led by Jelek Waker.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Temuan Amnesty: Saksi Sebut Penembakan Pendeta Yeremia Diduga Dilakukan Anggota TNI”.]
Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/10/02/18545301/temuan-amnesty-saksi-sebut-penembakan-pendeta-yeremia-diduga-dilakukan
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3) Papuans doubtful over govt team to probe shootings
Alya Nurbaiti
The Jakarta Post Jakarta / Sat, October 3, 2020 / 01:27 pm
Papuans have expressed doubt over the establishment of a joint fact-finding team (TGPF) to probe the recent shootings in Papua, including the killing of Papuan pastor Yeremia Zanambani in Intan Jaya regency. They raised concerns that the team under the Office of the Coordinating Political,
Legal and Security Affairs Minister would solve nothing unless the government had the will to solve the systemic violence in the easternmost province. “We, the church and I, believe that all the Papuan people are unsure whether the team can fairly and transparently investigate and disclose what happened [to Yeremia], because past investigations of unlawful killings in Papua have never been made public,” Pastor Andrikus Mofu, the general synod chairman of the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) in Papua, said in an online discussion on Friday.
Read also: Indonesia forms team to probe recent shootings in Papua, but state rights body excluded There have been 47 cases of unlawful killings leaving 96 people dead in Papua over the past two years, a marked increase from the figures recorded from 2010 to 2018, namely 69 cases and 95 victims, according to Amnesty International Indonesia. That figure is believed to be a conservative estimate. “Of the 47 cases, only four made it to a trial, two of which were [closed trials] at the military court,” Amnesty International Indonesia researcher Ari Pramuditya said.
Pastor Dona Balubun of GKI Papua said she was pessimistic about the team, especially because its composition was dominated by the government and the military. She also questioned the absence of representatives from the Indonesian Evangelical Christian Church (GKII).
A ministerial decree signed by Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD on Thursday shows that the team comprises 30 people, including ministry officials, members of state institutions including the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), the National Police and the Indonesian Military (TNI), an academic and seven Papuan public figures. “How do we investigate if ‘we’ are the perpetrator?” Dona asked. “The GKII must be included in the team, because they know the victim and the terrain so that there will be a discussion and monitoring”.
Yeremia was allegedly shot by TNI personnel on his way to his pigpen on Sept. 19, according to the GKII and local media. However, the TNI and Mahfud claimed that an armed criminal group (KKB) was behind Yeremia’s death. Papuan lawmaker Yan Mandenas of House of Representatives Commission I, which oversees information and defense, said the government should have done the investigation immediately, without first accusing the KKB publicly. “The government didn’t show accurate proof that the KKB was responsible either.
Please don’t let the investigative team be just another formality because the case got exposure,” the Gerindra Party politician said. Read also: Intan Jaya pastor third churchman allegedly killed by security personnel, church says Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) researcher Adriana Elisabeth said she feared the recent unlawful killings in Papua would not be the last, as the government had yet to address the key issue in Papua. “The team must understand the root cause of Papua’s problems, so that the current investigation can be an entry point to solve other problems of injustice. Besides, the team should also provide insight on how to stop violence in Papua,” said Adriana.
She further said the team should be a space for the government and the Papuan people to listen to each other instead of just reporting investigation results. “One of the root problems in Papua is the rigid dichotomy between separatism and nationalism.
There is no trust from Papuans toward the government and vice versa, therefore, a dialogue where both parties are willing to listen is much needed,” she said. Ari of Amnesty added that the government should not solve human rights abuse in Papua case by case but rather through an effective mechanism that was independent and impartial. “But now that another team has been established, the team must work independently, objectively and transparently. It must deliver its results to the public, especially to the families of victims,” he said.
Separately, Papua Governor Lukas Enembe said his administration would soon establish a humanitarian team to help Intan Jaya residents face issues stemming from violence in the region. The team, he said, would be comprised of representatives of the Papua administration, members of the public and church members. He said his office was currently drafting a decree for the establishment of the team. “The shooting of pastor Yeremia Zanambani must be investigated. But apart from that, the problems faced by Intan Jaya residents recently have been very hard.
There have been reports of violence taking place there, similar to what occurred during my term as a regent in Puncak Jaya,” he said in a statement on Friday. The administration will take on a bigger role in helping residents to overcome the trauma from the violence, Lukas added.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include a statement from Papua Governor Lukas Enembe.
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