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Stop the sweeping and attacks against civilians in Nduga, Papua
Tapol Press Release - December 20, 2017
Papua/Jakarta – The Coalition for Justice, Law and Human Rights in the Central Highlands of Papua, Civil Liberty Defenders and the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) request that the Indonesian security forces, militrary and police do not act indiscriminately in the Mugi district of the Nduga regency, Papua.
The tense situation in Mugi District resulting from the intimidating the presence of Indonesian military/police officers currently stems from the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN-PB) attack on TNI members on December 12, 2017.
The incident caused the excavator operator Yovicko Sondak to pass away and one member of Indonesian military, Prada Didimus Abindodifu was injured. This incident led to the sweeping action by the combined Indonesian military and police apparatus. According to the information we received, the sweep was conducted at Daragma Airport, Mugi District, Nduga regency. Using two commercial aircraft, the security forces fired randomly at people coming to the airport as well as toward people's houses and other buildings around Daragma Airport.
It is suspected that the "sweeping action" carried out by the security apparatus is done disproportionately and arbitrarily with the motivation to counterattack. The information we received mentioned five were people shot, four civilians were tortured, two houses were burned by the security apparatus and other homes in the vicinity were riddled with bullet holes because of being shot by the combined Indonesian security forces.
We also underline that there are three underage children who became victims and some were hit by gunfire while they were at home, this indicates the indiscriminate nature of the Indonesian security forces' shooting.
Victims of gunshot wounds: (as indicated by their initials).
1. RNN: A Grade 3 High School
student, injured by shots in the right thigh.
2. RN: A Civil servant,
shot in the thigh.
3. SG (47 years old), hit
on the thigh and on the right foot while inside their house.
4. RN (21 years old), shot
in the neck.
5. BK: A Grade 3 High School
student, shot in the left arm. Shot while standing in front of their house.
The student was shot after the crowd was escaping from gunshots from the
airport. The shooting was allegedly carried out by members of the Indonesian
military from the Koramil post.
Victims of torture (as indicated by their initials):
1. RG (Grade 3 High School
student, 15 years old)
2. EK (58 years old)
3. AK (54 years old)
4. IN (27 years old) beaten
while trying to monitor the situation.
Meanwhile, the two houses
that were burned were owned by West Papuan people with the initials MG
and MK.
After this event took place,
access from the Jayawijaya regency to the Nduga regency was blocked and
now is only granted through special travel passes which must be obtained
through 5 Indonesian military/police guard posts at 5 points: Napua post,
Mbua post, Yigi post, Yal post and Mugi post. This greatly obstructs the
mobility of people in the area, journalists and advocates to the area.
Because of the above events, we from the Coalition for Justice and Human Rights of the Central Highlands of Papua, Civil Liberty Defenders, and KontraS, convey the following:
1. Request that the Indonesian
military and police stop attacks and disproportionate, sporadic actions
against civilians in carrying out sweeps or counter-attacks against TPN-PB
in Mugi District, Nduga regency.
2. Urge the Indonesian Police
Chief in Papua and the Indonesian Cenderawasih Commander in Papua to withdraw
their apparatus from the Nduga regency. This must be done in order for
there not to be any more arbitrary and indiscriminate sweeping operations
so that people of the area are not traumatized again, the activities of
civillians are no longer disrupted and so that the rights to saftey of
the residents of Mugi district can be restored and recover.
3. Urge the Indonesian government
to ensure that the victims and families of the victims are not intimidated
and receive access to good health care and well being care. This includes
ensuring recovery efforts for traumatized and fearful people.
4. Request that the Indonesian
military and police and TPN-PB both make the situation more conducive so
that people can celebrate Christmas in peace.
5. Request that the local
government authorities and the Indonesian military/police apparatus help
and allow local communities to partake in their activities and mobility.
They must also open the widest possible access for humanitarian workers
and journalists to provide support and monitoring of the events in the
area.
6. Emphasize that the actions
of the combined Indonesian authorities are contrary to President Jokowi's
pledge to resolve a row of human rights cases in Papua. In fact, this string
of cases is now getting even longer.
Our regards,
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