Human Rights Report 5 January

West Papua: The Police shooting season over the
New Year period makes major concern for upcoming Indonesian General Election

Reports of police violence in Timika, Wamena and
Sorong are marked resurgence in Human Rights
abuse by the Indonesian security forces in West
Papua in the later part of 2008. Also reports of
mysterious deaths in Manokwari, before the
massive earthquake, suggest ‘black killings’ have
occurred there over the Christmas/New Year period.

The reports of killings and ‘accidental’ deaths
together with renewed activity by the notorious
Red & White (Merah Putih) Militia in Wamena, the
arrest of two West Papuan rights activists[1],
Buchtar Tabuni and Seblom Sambon in December 08
and the suppression of the indigenous Papuan
Kingmi Church[2] are signs of the relentless
pattern of Indonesian repressive control and arbitrary violence in West Papua.

In Wamena a youth was reportedly ‘accidentally’
shot dead by Police in a dispute in a market
involving another Papuan man, who had been
accused of stealing. Later in the same day it is
reported that the man accused of stealing, was
then murdered in the street by a group of
un-identified non-Papuans. In a separate
incident the unmarked body of another Papuan man
had been found in the river at Wamena on the
previous day. Further information is detailed below for each case.

In Teminbuan, South Sorong Indonesian Police
fired on a group of Papuans who were celebrating
the New Year with firecrackers and
sparklers. This caused one local man to die a
horrific death. Local people responded to his
murder by attacking and killing an Indonesian
intelligence officer. Police then attacked again
and fired at local people killing an 8 year-old
boy and injuring others and then reportedly destroying houses and property.

While in Timika the special Para-military police,
Brimob, are reported to have shot a local man at
a gold mining camp on 30 December 2008. The dead
body of another local man was taken to the Timika
hospital on 1 January 2008 but was not identified.

In Manokwari, the site of recent massive
earthquake, there are reports of two mysterious
deaths during the Christmas period. The body of
a Papuan man with serious wounds to his head was
found on 25 December next to his undamaged
motorcycle. The body of 75 year-old priest, was
found in a ditch also with head injuries on 1
January 2009. Both deaths were suspected to be
‘black killings‘ used by Indonesian security forces.

Details of agitation by the notorious Red & White
Militia in the highlands of West Papua were
reported in December 2008. Local Militia leaders
are reported to have traveled to Jakarta to
attend a meeting at Indonesian Military
headquarters in December and then went onto hold
meetings in Golkar offices in Wamena. The
Militia leaders are said to be planning a public
launch of the Militia in Mulima, which is the
site for staging traditional tribal warfare in
the old days. Mulima is an area where some of
the grossest human rights abuse in West Papua occurred during the Soeharto era.

Paula Makabory representing the Institute for
Papuan Advocacy & Human Rights said today, “The
recent shootings and reemergence of the Red &
White Militia has heightened our concerns that
Indonesian politicians and security forces are
seeking to further destabilization the situation
and promote conflict in West Papua. “

“This Christmas in West Papua has been a shooting
season for Indonesian police. The security
forces are trying to encourage conflict: Even a
small child of 8 years has been a political
target.” Paula Makabory went onto say.

“By shooting people in West Papua the security
forces encourage community based conflict and
maintain the community opposition and distrust of
Indonesia. The cycle of conflict with
Indonesian authority, leading to state control
and the poverty, disease epidemic and
dispossession of the indigenous people is
ongoing. Powerful people in Indonesia get
political benefits from the conflict, the
resource exploitation continues and the West
Papuan people gain very little from Indonesian politics.”

“After the assassination of Opinus Tabuni[3][4]
occurred in Wamena (10 August 2008) at the Dewan
Adat Papua sponsored Indigenous Peoples Day
celebration there was notably less police
opposition to resultant demonstrations that
occurred in Wamena and Jayapura. Though during
this time a member of the Papuan Customary
Council (Dewan Adat Papua) Yosias Syet was
murdered by unidentified person on 17 October
2008 near village of Waibron close to Jayapura[5].”

“Pro-West Papuan Independence supporters then
went onto undertake a series of demonstration in
Jayapura around the assassination of Theys Eluay,
the West Papua Pro-Independence leader who was
killed by members of Kopassus Indonesia’s elite
military force in 2001. Further demonstrations
were held supporting the formation of the
International Parliamentarian for West Papua in
London which appear been the reason for the
arrest of Buchtar Tabuni and Seblom Sambon.”

“Papuans in many centers then went onto raise
the Nationalist ‘Morning Star’ flag on 1 December
2008 against a police ban and the real threat of arrest and imprisonment.”

For further information contact:

Paula Makabory, Institute for Papuan Advocacy &
Human Rights, Tel +61(0) 402547517

Matthew Jamieson, Institute for Papuan Advocacy &
Human Rights, Tel +61 (0) 418291998

Human Rights Report Additional Information 5 January 2008

Institute for Papuan Advocacy & Human Rights

1.0 DEATHS IN WAMENA, WEST PAPUA 28 DECEMBER 2008

After a dispute over a Papuan man accused of
stealing in a local market in Wamena Police shot
and kill a 13 year old boy while shooting above
heads of a local crowd (28 December 2008). The
man who was accused of stealing is then stabbed
by a group of non Papuan on his way home.

In an unrelated incident the body of
un-indentified & decomposing Papuan man is found
in the river on 27 December 2008.

VICTIMS:
* Melinus Kogoya (13yo) from Gamelia
District, Jayawijaya - Lani tribe and resident of
Wamena. He was hit by a gun bullet from the local police;
* Anus Paragaye (23yo) from Asologaima
District, Jayawijaya (Hubula Palika tribe) and
resident of Wamena. He was stabbed by unknown assailants;
* An unidentified dead body was found at Uwe
River, he was predicted to be around 26/27 years old
Cases

Melinus Kogoya (13yo) died immediately after a
police bullet hit him, at local Jibama market, at
around 5pm, on Sunday, 28 December 2008, in Wamena.

He was among others who were at the local market
when the local police shot their gun into the crowd.

Melinus Kogoya was at the local market among
others who were watching the local Police have a
fight against Anus Paragaye (local /23yo).

A non-Papuan shopkeeper at the Jibama market
alleged Anus Paragaye and his friend had stolen
property. A non-Papuan at the market had
previously asked the police to arrest Anus Paragaye.

Anus Paragaye had tried to defend himself against
the police because he was innocent of the claim
of theft. This dispute attracted the attention of
the locals and who demanded that Anus Paragaye to be released.

The Cenderawasih Pos (CEPOS) 29/12/08 reported
that when the police arrested Anus Paragaye as he
struggled and fought against the police. The
CEPOS reported that the attending crowd threw
stones at the police post. The police then
started to fire their guns in the air to stop the
crowd. Malinus Kogoya appears to have died in
this shooting. The head of police precinct,
Wamena, AKBP Drs. Abd Azis Dj, SH, is reported to
have said Malinus Kogoya was killed with a stray bullet.

According to local witnesses that police pointed
their guns at the local people. Malianus Kogoya
was taken to the hospital for autopsy and the
result showed that a the bullet caused his death.
Malinus Kogoya dead body was handed back to his family to be burial.

Anus Paragaye (23yo) was stabbed by unknown
persons on his way back home from Pike to
Hom-Hom, at around 5.45pm, on 28 December 2008.
He was stabbed on the Trans Irian road in front
of the Yali Hom-Hom Dormitory in Wamena. During
the incident Anus Paragaye was stopped by 10
non-Papuan people and was stabbed by a sharp
weapon in the stomach. The local people (who did
not want his named for security reasons) saw the
incident at the crime scene & tried to get Anus
Paragaye to the local hospital. But Anus
Paragaye lost lots of his blood from critical
wound and died in the hospital at around 22.30 at the same day.

Unidentified dead body (predicted to be 26/27yo)
was also found at Uwe/ Wouma River on Saturday,
27 December 2008 at 6pm. According to the local
newspaper, CEPOS, that this man had been died for
3-4 days before he was found. CEPOS reported
that it was assumed the man suffer from chronic
epilepsy disease because there is no violent mark on the body.
2.0 Deaths on New Year Eve 31 December 2008, in
Teminabuan, South Sorong, West Papua

1. Ishak Lemauk (29 yo) was shot dead by the local police;

2. Supriyono (40yo) was killed by the locals;

3. Michael Kocu (8yo) was shot dead by the police.

It is customary in West Papua that people
celebrate the New Year by letting off
firecrackers at midnight. Many of the people in
the Papuan town of Teminabuan, South Sorong,
including children, were playing with sparklers
and firecrackers during the celebration of the New Year 2009.

During the celebration people in Teminabuan had
lit the firecrackers and sparklers for New Year,
when a police truck carrying a detachment of the
local police came. Reportedly these police then
fired their guns on the people who were celebrating the New Year.

One man Ishak Lemauk was hit in the the stomach
which caused an open wound and his belly come out
from his stomach and he died horrifically at the scene.

After 40 minutes, other local people heard the
news of the death of Ishak Lemauk and went to the
scene and confronted the police. The local
people chased and killed an Indonesian police
intelligence officer, Supriono (40yo).

The local Police then acting against the local
people and shot and killed a small boy, Michael
Kocu (8yo). The local people were then chased
with the shots of machine guns and some of their
houses and properties were destroyed. Beside
the 3 deaths, Human Rights workers report that
there are more wounded victims that require further attention.

All dead victims were buried on 02 January 2009,
at 9am Papua local time. The events have caused serious trauma in Teminabuan.

3.0 Timika: Brimob Shot Local Man Timika 30 December 2008.

Local sources report that the special police unit
Brimob shot Teau Dang, a Damal Beaga man, on 30
December 2008 at a gold panning camp at Mile 50
in the Freeport Rio Mining Concession. These
local reports say that Brimob had demanded that a
group of gold panners vacate the campsite at
about 6 pm on that day. After being told to
leave one man Teau Dang returned to the camp to
pick up a ‘nokem’ traditional bag, containing
gold and other belongings. The Brimob officers
were said to be upset by Teau Dang’s action and
had shot Dang seriously wounding his
shoulder. Dang colleagues heard the shot and
returned to the campsite and found him lying on
the ground. They then took him to
hospital. Information about Dangs current condition is was not available.

Cenderawasih Pos 5/1/08 report a mysterious dead
body taken to Timika Hospital on 1 January
2009. The person name was Pianus, aged 28
years. This man was buried by social department,
on 4 January 2009, as no family members claimed his body.

4.0 DEATHS IN MANOKWARI, WEST PAPUA, AFTER 25 DECEMBER 2008

A man, Anis Asmuruf (16yo) was found dead in a
bad physical condition in Bakaro, District of
East Manokwari on 25 December 2008. He was found
by the local people who were on their way home
after attended the local church Christmas
service, at around 10am (Papua local time). The
body was sent to the Manokwari General Hospital for an autopsy.

It was reported by the CEPOS on 27 December 2008
that the victim went out from his house by his
motorcycle on the Christmas Eve, 24 December 2008 and did not return home.

Local people who found the man report that the
body was lying on the ground with some serious
wounds in the face, his motor was near him without any damage.

The dead body of priest Daud Garyono 75 years
also seems suspicious according to the local
police after investigating the scene. His body
partly was in a ditch and had some injuries on
his forehead. His vehicle not found around him,
police were doing an investigation on his death
to find out the reason on what cause his death. (1 January 2009)

5.0 Red & White Militia in Wamena

During December a group of ‘Red and White’
militia under the leadership of a local man,
Salogo Walilo, traveled to Jakarta meet with the Indonesian
National Military Commander in Jakarta. The
group reportedly were told to ‘Defend Indonesian
until the last drop of blood’ and were given a
very large Indonesian National flag.

The name of those local men who attended this meeting were:
1. Salogo Walilo
2. Kuluwit Huby
3.Herman Doga
4. Yokoye Logo.

The group returned to Wamena and held a meeting
in the office of the Indonesian Political party
Golkar (Golongan Karya) in Wamena on 2 January
2009 at 09.00 pm. The meeting was to decide the
time for the public declaration of the ‘Red and
White’ Militia’s in the Highlands.

This meeting was attending by the Tribal leaders
‘Kepala suku’ from the region around Wamena and
middle mountains. The names of eleven of those who attended were:

1. Salogo Walilo ( kordinator Milisi Merah Putih)
2. Dauke Mabel
3. Marius Marian
4. Yakoye Logo
5. Amandus Mabel
7. Kuluwit Huby
8. Nikilik Huby
9. Herman Doga
10. Naligi Kurisi
11. Lukas Itlay
12. others

The place chosen for the launch was the site of
traditional site for tribal war (Markas Menara
Perang Suku ( Libarek) Desa Mulima, Kurulu
Kabupatan Jayawijaya). The planned declaration of
the Militia was reported to be February 2009.

The selection of Mulima as a site has major
connotations for local people. During the period
1972 – 1977 that area Mulima was the site of
gross Human Rights violation from the Military
Operation in Jayawijaya. Cases of extra judicial
killing, rapes, large numbers of local people
were forced into long periods of refuge in jungle
& while the military burned down their
houses. The Human Rights organisation Els-ham
reported that four periods of military offensives
led to massacre of 12,397 Papuans (Team Els-ham
Papua in 2003 p 125. Potrat HAM Jayapura: Els-ham, 2003, pp. 125).

Mysterious killings disappearances, rape, torture
and sexual violence, including incidences where
women were pierced through the vagina with
bayonets, were reported. Some of these abused
women were sliced through their bodies cutting
unborn babies in half. Woman and married women
were also raped and their husband and families were forced to watch.

Members of the community who were witness to
these events are still traumatized by these events.

Institute for Papuan Advocacy & Human Rights
5 January 2009

[1] Buchtar Tabuni was arrested on 03/12/09 for
organizing a demonstration on 16 October 2008
relating to the formation of the International
Parliamentarians for West Papua. Seblom Sambon
was arrested on 17 December 2008 also apparently
over the formation International Parliamentarians for West Papua.
[2] Indonesian police including Brimob attacked
Papuan members of the GKIP (Kingmi) church
(Gereja Kemah Injil Papua) in Nabire West Papua.
12 members were injured including 5 students who
were shot with rubber bullets on the 3 & 4 December 2008.

[3]
<http://ipahr.wordpress.com/west-papua-indonesian-police-shoot-man-at-indigenous\
-peoples-rally/>http://ipahr.wordpress.com/west-papua-indonesian-police-shoot-ma\
n-at-indigenous-peoples-rally/
[4] Papua shooting :In Indonesia's Papua
province, a tribal leader was killed at a rally
two months ago. Human rights groups suspect he
was murdered by a gunman working for the military
or intelligence services. Jeff Waters reports.
15/10/2008
<http://australianetwork.com/newshour/archives.htm?site=October2008#videoplayer>\
http://australianetwork.com/newshour/archives.htm?site=October2008#videoplayer
[5]
<http://ipahr.wordpress.com/2008/12/06/killing-of-activist-in-west-papua/>http:/\
/ipahr.wordpress.com/2008/12/06/killing-of-activist-in-west-papua/

Matthew Jamieson
Institute for Papuan Advocacy & Human Rights
PO Box 1805, Byron Bay NSW 2481 Australia
<mailto:matthew@...>matthew@...
tel +61 (0) 418291998