2) Indonesian rights body to probe Papuan pastor killing
3) PGI reports the shooting incident of Rev Zanambani to President Widodo
4) Again, an Indonesian soldier killed at Intan Jaya
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1) Five armed Papuan criminal groups active in Hipadipa subdistrict
8 hours ago
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - Five armed criminal groups are operating out of the Hipadipa subdistrict in Intan Jaya district of Papua province, while the personnel strength at the Persiapan Hipadipa Military Subdistrict Command is limited, a top police official said. The only access road to the subdistrict lies through the Sugapa subdistrict, and armed criminal groups have repeatedly attacked army personnel and civilians on this road stretch over the past few days, Papua police chief, Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw, told local journalists in the provincial capital of Jayapura on Tuesday while commenting on recent attacks in the area.
To deal with this situation, there is a need to put multiple layers of security in place along the nine-hour drive to Hipadipa subdistrict area as backup, he suggested.
The Indonesian Military and the National Police will work closely to protect the local community and security personnel deployed in the area from the violent attacks of armed criminals, he averred. Commenting on armed Papuan criminals threatening to gun down aircrew serving on planes transporting security personnel to Papua’s hinterlands, Waterpauw said the threats have raised alarm among aircrew.
The police will continue to use air transport to deploy personnel to certain locations within the province, he stated. September has been the bloodiest month in Intan Jaya district this year with armed criminals mounting a spate of attacks which have left two soldiers and two civilians dead and two others injured.
On September 19, 2020, an Indonesian soldier died in a gunfight with several armed Papuan criminals near the Persiapan Hipadipa Military Sub-district Command's compound in the district.
The fallen hero has been identified as First Private Dwi Akbar Utomo, said XVII Cenderawasih Regional Military Command spokesperson, Lt. Col. Reza Nur Patria.
The same day, armed separatists also reportedly gunned down Priest Yeremia Zanambani in Hitadipa village, Hitadipa sub-district.
The priest died of gunshot wounds after he was shot by armed criminals on September 19, 2020, Joint Regional Defense Command (Kogabwilhan) III spokesperson, Col. IGN Suriastawa, noted in a recent statement.
On September 17, 2020, another soldier, Chief Sergeant Sahlan, was reportedly killed in an ambush laid by a group of armed criminals. He was returning to the Persiapan Hipadipa Military Sub-district Command with food supplies from the Sugapa area when he was attacked.
The attackers seized his gun and magazine, according to Commander of the Biak-based 173/Praja Vira Braja Military Resort Command, Brig. Gen. Iwan Setiawan.
Sahlan, a member of the 1404 Pindrang Military District Command in South Sulawesi province, had been tasked with backing up the Village Supervisory Non-Commissioned Officers (Babinsa) of the Persiapan Hipadipa Military Sub-district Command.
In a separate incident on September 17, 2020, armed Papuan rebels reportedly tortured and killed a 49-year-old Ojek motorcycle taxi driver, identified as Badawi.
Meanwhile, on September 13, 2020, armed separatists opened fire at two Ojek drivers in Sugapa area, but they managed to survive the attack. The two drivers are currently undergoing treatment in Timika, the capital of Mimika District, Setiawan stated. (INE)
Related news: Jelek Waker-led armed group masterminded shooting of priest: police
Related news: Armed civilians tortures, kills two in Papua's Sugapa district
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Reporter: Evarukdijati, Rahmad Nasution
To deal with this situation, there is a need to put multiple layers of security in place along the nine-hour drive to Hipadipa subdistrict area as backup, he suggested.
The Indonesian Military and the National Police will work closely to protect the local community and security personnel deployed in the area from the violent attacks of armed criminals, he averred. Commenting on armed Papuan criminals threatening to gun down aircrew serving on planes transporting security personnel to Papua’s hinterlands, Waterpauw said the threats have raised alarm among aircrew.
The police will continue to use air transport to deploy personnel to certain locations within the province, he stated. September has been the bloodiest month in Intan Jaya district this year with armed criminals mounting a spate of attacks which have left two soldiers and two civilians dead and two others injured.
On September 19, 2020, an Indonesian soldier died in a gunfight with several armed Papuan criminals near the Persiapan Hipadipa Military Sub-district Command's compound in the district.
The fallen hero has been identified as First Private Dwi Akbar Utomo, said XVII Cenderawasih Regional Military Command spokesperson, Lt. Col. Reza Nur Patria.
The same day, armed separatists also reportedly gunned down Priest Yeremia Zanambani in Hitadipa village, Hitadipa sub-district.
The priest died of gunshot wounds after he was shot by armed criminals on September 19, 2020, Joint Regional Defense Command (Kogabwilhan) III spokesperson, Col. IGN Suriastawa, noted in a recent statement.
On September 17, 2020, another soldier, Chief Sergeant Sahlan, was reportedly killed in an ambush laid by a group of armed criminals. He was returning to the Persiapan Hipadipa Military Sub-district Command with food supplies from the Sugapa area when he was attacked.
The attackers seized his gun and magazine, according to Commander of the Biak-based 173/Praja Vira Braja Military Resort Command, Brig. Gen. Iwan Setiawan.
Sahlan, a member of the 1404 Pindrang Military District Command in South Sulawesi province, had been tasked with backing up the Village Supervisory Non-Commissioned Officers (Babinsa) of the Persiapan Hipadipa Military Sub-district Command.
In a separate incident on September 17, 2020, armed Papuan rebels reportedly tortured and killed a 49-year-old Ojek motorcycle taxi driver, identified as Badawi.
Meanwhile, on September 13, 2020, armed separatists opened fire at two Ojek drivers in Sugapa area, but they managed to survive the attack. The two drivers are currently undergoing treatment in Timika, the capital of Mimika District, Setiawan stated. (INE)
Related news: Jelek Waker-led armed group masterminded shooting of priest: police
Related news: Armed civilians tortures, kills two in Papua's Sugapa district
EDITED BY INE
Reporter: Evarukdijati, Rahmad Nasution
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2) Indonesian rights body to probe Papuan pastor killing
Commission to investigate Saturday shooting death of pastor known for
translating Bible into local language in Papua
Erric Permana | 23.09.2020
JAKARTA, Indonesia
Indonesia’s National Human Rights Commission will investigate Saturday’s shooting death of a pastor in Papua, eastern Indonesia, the commission’s head has announced.
The commission has started gathering information about the killing in Intan Jaya, Papua of Yeremia Zanambani, a pastor known for translating the Bible into the local Moni dialect.
“We need to find the real perpetrators and evaluate previous cases in Papua and West Papua more comprehensively,” commission Chairman Muhammad Chairul Anam said in a statement late Tuesday.
Local residents have reportedly said Zanambani was shot by the Indonesian Army.
The military has denied the allegations, saying an armed group was responsible for the attack.
Anam said violence in Intan Jaya this year has claimed eight lives, including civilians and military personnel.
Amnesty International Indonesia also urged the police to investigate the shooting.
Usman Hamid, the director of Amnesty International Indonesia, said the incident showed the government’s failure to bring peace to Papua.
"Since the beginning of the year, there have been at least 15 shooting cases. So when will Papuans live in peace?” he said in a written statement on Tuesday.
Amnesty also said that over the past three months, eight people were killed in five incidents of extrajudicial killings in Papua.
“In conclusion, there are 15 cases with a total of 22 victims throughout the year. The police and military were mostly involved in these human rights violations," Hamid claimed.
* Writing by Maria Elisa Hospita
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3) PGI reports the shooting incident of Rev Zanambani to President Widodo
Admin1 September 23, 2020 4:46 am
Jayapura, Jubi – Council of Churches in Indonesia (PGI) writes to President Joko Widodo regarding the death of the Rev Yeremias Zanambani at Hitadipa, Intan Jaya Regency, Papua that allegedly perpetrated by Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI). General Chairman of PGI Gomar Gultom said the letter was sent to President Widodo this morning.
“We sent a letter to President Widodo this morning regarding the incident,” told Gobar cited by Tempo on Monday, 21 September 2020.
“I strongly condemn the incident that killed the Rev. Yeremias Zanambani,” said Gultom.
According to reports from GKII leader and local media in Papua, said Gultom, Zanambani was allegedly shot by TNI in a military operation on Saturday, 19 September when he was going to his pig farm. As a result of this incident, seven to eight local churches are left empty because their congregations are scared and go to hide in the forest.
Gultom said it had been a long time that Papua was covered with blood. Therefore, he reminded all forms of existing violence and military approach would not solve any problems that occurred in Papua. Instead, it would create a never-ending cycle of violence.
Moreover, he asked President Widodo to fulfil the promise that he repeatedly said, namely, to take a cultural approach in solving issues in Papua. President Widodo, according to Gultom, also mentioned that violence would not resolve any problematic issues in Papua.
Before this, Chief of Public Affairs of Joint Defense Areas Command III Colonel Army Engineer IGN Suriastawa said the Rev Yeremias Zanambani was shot dead by the Criminal Armed Group (KKB) Papua. He accused KKB of spreading rumours to blame TNI as the perpetrator.
“They were trying to find a moment to attract attention at the UN General Assembly at the end of this month,” Suriastawa told in a written release on Sunday, 20 September 2020.
However, a local resource from Intan Jaya Aner Maisini denied the information supplied by the military. Maisini who is the son of a priest at Intan Jaya confirmed on Sunday (20/9/2020) that the security forces shot the priest.
“After feeding his pigs and wanted to go home, TNI came and shot the reverend that killed him on the spot,” he said.
In the meantime, Chief of Public Affairs of Cenderawasih Regional Command XVII Colonel Reza Patria admitted that he has not yet received detailed information on the incident. However, he noticed the two versions of the report that currently circulated in public about the shooting perpetrator.
“We are still investigating this incident,” Reza told Tempo on Monday, 21 September 2020. (*)
Reporter: Admin Jubi
Editor: Pipit Maizier
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4) Again, an Indonesian soldier killed at Intan Jaya
Admin1 September 22, 2020 10:10 pm
Jayapura, Saturday – A soldier was killed during armed conflict involving TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) and the insurgent group on Saturday (19/9/2020) at Hitadipa, Intan Jaya Regency, Papua. Private First Class Dwi Akbar Utomo from Yonif 711/Raksatama, Gorontalo Utara, North Sulawesi, was reportedly shot at his left armpit.
Utomo was a member of Yonif 711/Raksatama who deployed to assist the security operation under the projected Sub-district Military Command (Koramil) Hitadipa. The Antara News Agency reported that the armed conflict between TNI and the insurgent group occurred at around 1.20 pm Papua time.
After being shot, Utomo, who was in critical condition, was rushed to Hitadipa Community Health Centre but he died at 2.50 pm Papua time.
“That’s right that Private First Class Dwi Akbar Utomo shot dead in the armed conflict,” Chief of Military Public Affairs of Cenderawasih Regional Command XVII Colonel Artillery Reza Nur Patria told the Antara News Agency in Jayapura, Papua.
The shooting incident and armed conflict on this Saturday was the fourth time to happen in Intan Jaya this week. On Friday (18/9/2020), aeroplane Dabi Air PK-DPG was shot by an armed group at Bilogai Airport, Sugapa, Intan Jaya Regency. However, there were no casualties in the shooting incident on Friday.
Earlier, on Thursday (17/9/2020), an armed conflict between TNI and the insurgent group opened in Hitadipa which killed First Sergeant Sahlan, a member of Kodim 1404/Pinrang, North Sulawesi who deployed to back up in securing the headquarters of the projected Koramil Hitadipa at Intan Jaya Regency. In this incident, the armed insurgent group also seized a long rifle FNC, a magazine and bullets.
While, on Monday (14/9/2020), the armed group based in Mamba Village, Sugapa Sub-district, Intan Jaya Regency, shot two civilians La Ode Anas (33 yo) and Fathur Rahman (23 yo). The two victims evacuated to Mimika Regency for further medical treatment. (*)
Reporter: Admin Jubi
Editor: Pipit Maizier
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