T

he National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has assigned a team to investigate the death of Deiyai resident Yulius Pigai, believed to have been caused by police gunshots after dozens of local residents ran amok and burned a facility belonging to a contractor company in the Papuan regency.

The team, led by Frits Ramandey, a Komnas HAM representative in Papua, is scheduled to depart for Deiyai on Thursday to begin the investigation into the incident after locals and Yulius’ family demanded the police take responsibility for the shooting.

“This is an important case. We have to respond as soon as possible,” Frits told The Jakarta Post in Papua’s capital of Jayapura on Wednesday.

Yulius Pigai, a 28-year old resident of Tigi district, Deiyai, died at the scene on Tuesday when the police tried to disperse the angry crowds that destroyed a construction camp of PT Putra Dewa Paniai, which is building a bridge across the Oneibo River.

Yulius was found with gunshot wounds to his right and left thighs and below his navel in the incident that left at least eight others injured, according to Santon Tekege, a local pastor who represented the residents.

The riot was triggered by angry locals after their request to borrow a company car to take a local resident named Ravianus Douw, who was in a critical condition after almost drowning in the Oneibo River, to a hospital, was rejected. The police immediately deployed personnel to the scene, but the mob fought back using stones before the shooting occurred, Santon said.

Papua Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. AM Kamal confirmed the death of Yulius in the incident, saying the shooting occurred when the security personnel tried to disperse people who attacked and burnt down the company’s construction camp.

“They brutally attacked the employees so the [security] personnel were forced to shoot to disperse the crowds,” Kamal said.

The police, however, only used rubber bullets to disperse the crowds, according to Kamal, who promised the police would examine the bullet fragments believed to still be inside Yulius’ body, which was being kept at the Tigi Police precinct as of Wednesday.

The local residents have also demanded Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar be held responsible for the case because he had previously denied the shooting.

“He said there was no shooting; but the fact is that the body of the victim is now being kept at the Tigi precinct,” Santon said. “He must take responsibility for denying the shooting.”

John Gobay, the leader of the Mee Pago Customary Council that oversees Deiyai and some other regencies including Paniai, Nabire and Dogiyai, said the Komnas HAM investigation was important to find the cause of Yulius’ death, particularly since the locals and the police gave different statements on the incident.

On Wednesday, tensions were still high in the regency, with some people choosing to stay at home as they were concerned another violent incident might occur, while others went to the Tigi Police precinct to monitor the case.

The incident occurred only three days after a conflict triggered by a local election left at least two dead, dozens injured and homes burnt in Puncak Jaya regency.

Papua, the country’s easternmost province, which continues to be among the poorest areas in the country despite its abundant natural resources, has seen a number of shootings allegedly committed by security personnel in the past few years, such as the unresolved shooting of five civilians in Paniai in 2014.