| Home > South-East Asia >> West Papua | |
Papuan groups demand justice over Indonesia student killings
UCA News - December 9, 2015
However, the government's National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) said it is trying to conduct a thorough investigation but a lack of funds and cooperation from victims' families is preventing it from doing so.
The four students died and many others were injured when security forces allegedly opened fire on a crowd of peaceful protesters on Dec. 8, 2014 The crowd gathered to protest against a beating of a child, allegedly by soldiers, in Ipakije village the night before.
"The killings happened a year ago but the perpetrators have yet to be arrested and brought to justice. The victims and their families, as well as the Papuan people, demand justice," Peneas Lokbere, coordinator of the advocacy group, Solidarity for the Victims of Human Rights Violations in Papua, said in a statement Dec. 8. "The government isn't paying serious attention to the case," he said.
Father Paul Tumayang from the Franciscan-run Secretariat of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation in Papua, accused Indonesian President Joko Widodo of going back on a promise to fully investigate the case.
During Christmas celebrations in Jayapura, the Papuan provincial capital, last year he promised to resolve the case, the priest said.
"We didn't ask the president to promise us anything. But he made the promise," he told ucanews.com. "So we call on president to keep his promise."
Komnas HAM hit back saying it launched a preliminary investigation into the case in January, which uncovered evidence of gross human rights violations, and had recommended a more detailed probe.
However, the commission says this probe has stalled because of an apparent lack of funds and opposition by victims' families to a request from investigators to exhume the bodies to conduct an autopsy.
Father Tumayang said the families are against the exhumations because they would be distressing and also go against traditional beliefs.
However, Natalius Pigai from Komnas HAM said autopsies are necessary. "In this case, an autopsy can prove where the bullets came from exactly so the perpetrators can be brought to justice," he told ucanews.com.
He also assured the commission would try and continue the investigation even without an autopsy.
London-based Amnesty International and the Jakarta-based Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence on Dec. 7 called on the government to ensure that Komnas HAM are provided with the necessary funds to complete the investigations.
Source: http://www.ucanews.com/news/papuan-groups-demand-justice-over-indonesia-student-killings/74748.
See also:
 |
West Papua West Papua Links Statements and Press Releases on West Papua Indoleft Archive Indonesia links Indonesia News Digest News services on Indonesia Publications & videos on Indonesia Reports & articles on Indonesia Statements & press releases on Indonesia