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One killed, two injured in latest shoot-out in Papua

One person was killed while another two were injured in a clash during an operation launched by the Indonesian Military (TNI) aimed at rounding up an armed group in Opitawak village in Tembagapura, Mimika regency, Papua, near the copper mine operated by Freeport, on Wednesday

Stefanno Sulaiman, Nethy Dharma Somba and Evi Mariani (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta/Jayapura
Thu, April 5, 2018

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One killed, two injured in latest shoot-out in Papua

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ne person was killed while another two were injured in a clash during an operation launched by the Indonesian Military (TNI) aimed at rounding up an armed group in Opitawak village in Tembagapura, Mimika regency, Papua, near the copper mine operated by Freeport, on Wednesday.

Both the TNI and the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN-OPM), which is linked to the Free Papua independence movement, confirmed the identity of the dead man as Timotius Umabak, while one of the injured was identified as Kapin Wamang, 15.

“We confirm that the fatality and the injured person came from the same group that attacked us on Sunday,” Cendrawasih Military Command spokesman Col. M. Aidi said on Wednesday.

The TNI and the armed group were previously involved in a shoot-out in Utikini village on Sunday, during which one soldier and two civilians, believed to be part of the armed group, were killed.

Aidi said that the military identified at least 20 people from the group equipped with M-16 rifles as well as home-made weapons.

The shooting lasted for at least 30 minutes until the armed group fled to the hills located around 4 kilometers from Utikini village.

Hendrik Wanmang, a spokesman for the TPN-OPM, denied to The Jakarta Post by phone on Wednesday afternoon there was a shoot-out with the group in Opitawak on Wednesday morning. “The [TNI] shot the villagers,” he claimed.

Earlier on Wednesday, at about 7:30 a.m. Jakarta time, 9:30 a.m. Papua time, Wanmang said, the TPN-OPM had gathered all villagers in Opitawak for their own protection. He claimed the TPN-OPM fighters had retreated and left the village to avoid civilians being mistaken for armed fighters.

“There were women and children among the 1,000. We told them if the Indonesian Military came, not to run, show yourselves with your hands up,” he said, adding that, “This is a dangerous situation, we need international intervention such as from the United Nations.”

Responding to the recent shootings, the Office of the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister stated that Sunday’s attack was probably designed to put pressure on the authorities to release Papuan political prisoners.

Meanwhile, the TNI has indicated that it will beef up security in conflict areas.

Army chief of staff Gen. Mulyono said in Jakarta that the TNI had retaken four of six villages previously controlled by the armed group.

“We will set up military posts at the remaining villages to force [the armed group members] to leave,” he said at the State Palace on Wednesday.

Analysts have criticized solutions based on security enforcement, as long-term research into Papua’s conflict has indicated that peaceful dialogue is the best solution for ending violence in the easternmost province.

“The conflict in Papua drags on because we have never had a continuous dialogue between Papuans and the government to discuss locals’ demands,” Aisah Putri, a researcher with the Papua study team from the Indonesian Sciences Institute (LIPI), said.

LIPI sent its dialogue framework to the government in 2015, however, out of the recommended topics for dialogue, only two topics, on education and health, have been implemented.

“It is not enough, the government actually should initiate a dialogue on human rights, because that’s the key to ending violence,” she said.

Marguerite Afra Sapiie contributed reporting.

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