Monday, November 2, 2020

1) Indonesia rights commission alleges slain Papuan pastor was tortured


2) Papua church leader ‘executed’ by Indonesian military
3) Papua bishops hold govt talks on ways to end violence

—————————————-


1) Indonesia rights commission alleges slain Papuan pastor was tortured
NOVEMBER 2, 20209:27 PMUPDATED 9 HOURS AGO

By Reuters Staff 2 MIN READ  

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia’s human rights commission said on Monday that a fact-finding team believed the military had tortured a pastor in the country’s Papua region in a bid to extract information on stolen military weapons before shooting him dead. 

 Resource-rich Papua has been plagued by a long-standing conflict between security forces and separatist groups since its absorption into Indonesia in 1969.  In late September, Christian pastor Yeremia Zanambani was found dead with gunshot wounds in a pig shed, sparking outrage and pressure from church groups for an investigation.

A report on Monday by Indonesia’s human rights commission (Komnas HAM) said it suspected a military officer of torturing and shooting the pastor during a search for missing weapons and the whereabouts of separatists.  Describing the killing as “extra-judicial”, the report said wounds from a sharp weapon were also found on the pastor.  After a separate government fact-finding probe, Indonesia’s chief security minister said last month security forces or a “third party” may have had some involvement.

Komnas HAM said in Monday’s report it had recommended to President Joko Widodo and the security minister that along with finding the culprits, witnesses should be protected and efforts made to ensure a less security-driven approach to policing the area.


“Civilians become victims after being suspected of joining separatist groups by the TNI (Indonesian army) or the police,” Beka Ulung Hapsara, a commissioner at Komnas HAM, told Reuters.

Responding to the report, military spokesman Colonel Gusti Nyoman Suriastawa said an investigation was ongoing and it would not hesitate to punish any officer if found guilty.  A spokesman for Indonesia’s security ministry declined to comment.  

Reporting by Stanley Widianto and Agustinus Beo Da Costa; Editing by Ed Davies

———————————-

2) Papua church leader ‘executed’ by Indonesian military

JAKARTA: Indonesia's military "executed" a church leader in its insurgency-wracked Papua region, the National Human Rights Commission said on Monday, in the latest allegation of a civilian killing by soldiers.

A report by the agency, citing witness testimony, alleged pastor Yeremia Zanambani was tortured and then shot by deputy army chief Alpius Hasim Madi during an interrogation on Sept 19. He later died of his wounds.

"The alleged perpetrator of the torture and extrajudicial killing is a military member," Commissioner Choirul Anam said in a statement.

"Before the victim died, he told two witnesses (about the perpetrator). Other witnesses also saw (Madi) at the crime scene with three to four other military members."


In response, Indonesia's military said it was still probing the septuagenarian Zanambani's death in Papua's central Hitadipa district. 

"If later there is evidence that a military member was involved, then he'll be dealt with under existing laws and regulations," Papua military spokesman Reza Nur Patria told AFP.

Amnesty International earlier said it had documented over a dozen unlawful killings by members of the military and police in Papua since February.

Indonesian security forces have long been accused of committing atrocities against Papuan civilians during a decades-long rebel movement aimed at gaining independence for the region next to independent Papua New Guinea.

The Southeast Asian nation took control of mineral-rich Papua, a former Dutch colony, in the 1960s following a vote to stay within the archipelago that was widely viewed as rigged.

On Monday, the commission's report said that the church leader suffered severe wounds from a sharp object before he was forced to kneel down "so it was easier for the perpetrator to execute him."

Zanambani's wife found his blood-soaked body and he died of his injuries several hours later, it said.

Zanambani was being questioned about military guns that had been stolen by rebels, the report said, after two soldiers had been killed in the area recently, allegedly by guerrillas.

As part of its probe, the Commission interviewed the suspect Madi who said Zanambani was on his list of so-called "enemies" in the district, and that the victim had criticised the army over the earlier disappearance of two of his relatives. 

Madi did not implicate himself in the killing and has not been charged. - AFP


——————————————

3) Papua bishops hold govt talks on ways to end violence

Prelates hope to ease tensions by persuading Jakarta not to use heavy-handed tactics against separatists and civilians
Konradus EpaKonradus Epa, JakartaUpdated: November 02, 2020 07:12 AM GMT

Two church leaders from Papua have met Indonesia’s security minister in Jakarta to discuss various problems 

plaguing the restive province, including continuing violence.
 
Franciscan Bishop Aloysius Murwito of Agats-Asmat and Sacred Heart Bishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi, 

apostolic administrator of Merauke Archdiocese, met Mahfud MD on Nov. 1 for more than one hour at his residence.
  
The two bishops were accompanied by Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo Harjoatmodjo of Jakarta, chairman of the 

Indonesian Bishops' Conference.
 
“The meeting was held in response to various problems in Papua, especially violence. We bishops are 

concerned about the situation,” Bishop Mandagi of Amboina, Maluku, told UCA News.

having on people, including the military and police.

The military and police are often accused of using a heavy-handed approach in dealing with a low-level 

insurgency by separatists.

The region is also the poorest in the country, a situation that is also said to be fueling local resentment 

towards Jakarta.

Bishop Mandagi said they suggested to Mahfud that more dialogue was needed with locals to try and ease 

tensions, including dialogue between Jakarta and the local church.

The government must tread more carefully. Using a military approach exacerbates tensions in the 

region, he said.
 
“Papuans are good people. Everyone including military, police, and church workers who come to Papua 

must not look down on them. We all need to settle Papua's problems with dialogue, by respecting Papuans 

and without violence,” Bishop Mandagi said.


The bishop also warned against profiteers exploiting local people and against mass migration to the region, 

saying it will marginalize and antagonize Papuans.

Security Minister Mahfud said the meeting with the bishops was constructive and that government officials 

would go to Papua and hold further talks with the bishops and other religious leaders.
 
“I hope the government fulfills its promises to decrease violence in Papua. We want Papua to become 

a land of love, not a war zone,” Bishop Mandagi said.
 
Father John Bunai, chairman of a Papuan indigenous priests’ association, said the meeting was held at 

the request of Mahfud following the shooting of Rufinus Tigau, a Catholic catechist, on Oct. 26 

in Papua’s Intan Jaya district.


He expressed regret that all of Papua’s bishops could not attend because the meeting was called 
at short notice.

He also suggested more could have been achieved if President Joko Widodo had been present.

“We wanted our bishops to meet the president, not only the minister, so that the Papuan problems 
could be properly addressed," he said.
—————————-

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.