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Rights campaigner found dead in Sorong
The Papua Police are preparing for an autopsy to be carried out to reveal the cause of death of Marthinus Yohame, 27, who was the head of the Sorong Raya chapter of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), whose body was found wrapped in a sack in Nana waters near Port Dom in Sorong, West Papua
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he Papua Police are preparing for an autopsy to be carried out to reveal the cause of death of Marthinus Yohame, 27, who was the head of the Sorong Raya chapter of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), whose body was found wrapped in a sack in Nana waters near Port Dom in Sorong, West Papua.
'His body is still at the Sorong Regional Hospital as we await approval from his family for the autopsy to reveal the cause of death. Without the autopsy, we cannot establish what caused the wounds on his body,' Papua Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Pudjo Sulistyo told The Jakarta Post in Jayapura, Papua, on Wednesday.
Marthinus' body was reportedly found by a fisherman who was fishing in Nana waters on Tuesday. His remains were taken to the Sorong Regional Hospital, where medical staff discovered wounds to his chest and stomach.
Marthinus' family had previously submitted a missing persons report with the Sorong Police on Aug. 20 and had no information on his whereabouts until the human rights campaigner was found dead on Tuesday.
West Papuan human rights lawyer Yan Christian Warinussy urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the possible motive behind Marthinus' death, which appeared to be an act of murder. 'It is really shocking to know that his body was found wrapped in a sack and floating out at sea. Investigators must reveal all the details,' Yan Christian told the Post.
He said Marthinus' death was likely related to a visit to the province by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to launch the Raja Ampat Sail event last Saturday. Before Marthinus disappeared, Yan Christian said, police officers rounded up a KNPB sympathizer, Abner Wanma - who was one of a dance troupe that was set to perform during the sail event's opening ceremony - from his home in Waisai, Raja Ampat.
'A day after he was taken by police, Abner was returned home but shortly afterward, we received information that the head of the KNPB's Sorong Raya branch [Marthinus] had not returned home,' Yan Christian said.
A rumor spread prior to Yudhoyono's visit stating that the KNPB planned to fly the banned Morning Star flag. 'If this was aimed purely to prevent the flag-raising, I think it's too extreme to believe that someone should be killed [...] and thrown into the sea,' he added. (alz/ebf)
