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Attack on Komnas HAM delegation raises tensions in Papua
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Police officers from the Operation Cartenz Peace conduct patrol in Bintang Highlands regency, Papua Highlands on Sept. 21, 2023. The operation is aimed to quell the Free Papua Movement (OPM) criminal activities. (Antara/Laksa Mahendra)
T
ensions flared in West Papua over the weekend after members of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) rebel group opened fire on a National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) delegation accompanying police in the search for a missing officer in the Rawara River, Moskona district, Teluk Bintuni regency.
Frits Ramandey, the head of the Papua office of Komnas HAM, was traversing the Rawara with police officers on Sunday morning when armed separatists opened fire in their direction. Frits was with officers from the West Papua Police and Mobile Brigade (Brimob) at the time of the incident.
A widely circulated video shows the team scrambling for cover in a nearby shelter as gunfire rang out. Brimob officers reportedly returned fire before police evacuated the group, including West Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Jhonny Edison Isir, by helicopter to a safer location in the district.
“Thank God, we survived the shooting,” Frits said on Sunday evening, as quoted by kompas.com.
The delegation was involved in the ongoing search for First Insp. Tomi Marbun, a local police officer who went missing in the Rawara River on Dec. 18 while attempting to apprehend suspected OPM members.
Witnesses, including three officers who accompanied Tomi, claimed he was trying to cross the river before being swept away by the strong current. Sounds of gunshots were heard shortly after, prompting the officers to flee the scene.
Read also: Armed separatists kill teacher in Papua Highlands
