- Human rights minister says 15 killed, 7 injured in April 14 operation
- Anyone responsible for attacks on civilians will face legal repercussions, minister says
- Human rights watchdog urges Indonesia to rethink Papua military operations
JAKARTA, April 20 — Indonesia said today that a total of 15 people were killed in Central Papua province earlier this month during a military operation against separatist rebels that drew condemnation from the country’s human rights watchdog.
Natalius Pigai, Indonesia’s Minister of Human Rights, told reporters today that another seven were also injured during the fighting.
He did not disclose how many of the casualties were civilian, but said anyone responsible for attacks against civilians “should face the legal process as soon as possible.”
The military said it had no information about the deaths, but the state-run National Human Rights Commission said over the weekend that 12 civilians, including women and children, were shot dead during an operation against separatists in central Papua on April 14. Dozens of others sustained serious injuries, it added.
It was not immediately clear whether they were killed by Indonesian or rebel fire, or both. The commission said it was investigating the deaths.
“We condemn the enforcement operation against Papuan rebels that resulted in civilian casualties,” commission chief Anis Hidayah said in a statement.
“All forms of attacks against civilians, whether in situations of war or otherwise, carried out by state or non-state actors, constitute violations of human rights and International Humanitarian Law,” she added.
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