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View all search resultsRights body suspects soldiers behind killing of civilians in Papua
The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) said on Monday it had strong suspicions that soldiers might have been responsible for the deaths of 12 civilians during a military operation against a separatist group in Kembru village, Central Papua, last week.
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Troops of the Sriwijaya Military Command infantry battalion march past on July 21, 2024 after a ceremony at Boom Baru Port in Palembang, South Sumatra, to mark the deployment of soldiers to Papua. (Antara/Nova Wahyudi)
T
he National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) said on Monday it had strong suspicions that soldiers might have been responsible for the deaths of 12 civilians, including women and children, during a military operation against a separatist group in Kembru village, Central Papua, last week. The Indonesian Military (TNI) has denied the claims.
The government-sanctioned independent body said its preliminary investigation found indications that the victims had died from gunshot wounds during what the TNI described as an “enforcement operation” against rebels from the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB).
When asked whether the commission had identified possible perpetrators in the preliminary probe, chairwoman Anis Hidayah said on Monday that there was a strong suspicion that TNI soldiers might have been involved in the killings. “It’s true [that we have that suspicion]. Our preliminary findings are that 12 civilians died,” Anis told The Jakarta Post.
Komnas HAM commissioner Saurlin Siagian said the preliminary findings were based on information from local authorities and other verified sources.
“We are deeply concerned that all the victims were civilians. This clearly indicates a human rights violation,” Saurlin said, noting that the commission was awaiting a more conducive situation in Papua to gather further evidence.
Later on Monday, Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai told a press conference in Jakarta that a total of 15 people were killed in the incident, without disclosing how many of the dead were civilians.
He neither confirmed nor denied Komnas HAM’s suspicion of the TNI’s involvement in the killings, but said the alleged perpetrators had been identified and urged them to come forward.
