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Protests over Papua shooting expand nationwide
Solidarity: Dozens of Papuan students in Gorontalo march through the provincial capital on Tuesday to protest alleged human rights abuses in Papua and West Papua
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span class="inline inline-center">Solidarity: Dozens of Papuan students in Gorontalo march through the provincial capital on Tuesday to protest alleged human rights abuses in Papua and West Papua. They also demand authorities resolve the recent fatal shooting of a civilian in Deiyai, Papua, as quickly as possible.(JP/Syamsul Huda M. Suhari)
Students, activists and Papuans across Indonesia rallied and held vigils as they shared concerns over the recent fatal shooting of a civilian in Deiyai, Papua, in the latest incident of a series of alleged human rights abuses by security forces in the country’s easternmost region.
In Jakarta on Monday, dozens of Papuans marched to the State Palace where they staged a demonstration demanding President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo administration take serious steps to prevent further human rights abuses in Papua, and hold all responsible in the shooting to account.
A similar rally was also held by some 100 Papuan students in Gorontalo on the same day.
They marched from their dormitory on Jl. Taman Hiburan to the Gorontalo Provincial Legislative Council, where they asked councilors to help voice their demands.
“We deeply regret that human rights violations keep happening in Papua,” said rally participant Delius Murib.
Students in Bandung held a candlelight vigil in protest of the shooting. Vigils were also reported in Yogyakarta and numerous cities in Papua and West Papua.
Yulianus Pigai, 28, was found dead with several gunshot wounds to his body and at least nine others sustained injuries, when the police’s Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel tried to disperse an angry crowd that had destroyed the construction camp of a contractor firm near the Oneibo River in Tigi district, Deiyai regency, Papua, on Aug. 1.
Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Pol Boy Rafli Amar has stripped First. Insp. Maing Raini of his position as Tigi Police chief. He has been replaced by First Insp. Ferry Mervin Mehue since Tuesday.
Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. AM Kamal said Raini, as well as seven Mobile Brigade members are under investigation.
“Seven witnesses from the company have also been questioned,” he said.
Friets Ramandey, a Komnas HAM representative in Papua, said the officers who are suspected to have shot Yulianus must be tried at a human rights court.
“The shooting [constitutes] a human rights violation as regulated under the Human Rights Law,” he said.
Residents of Deiyai, meanwhile, still feel troubled by the fatal shooting.
“The situation has gradually become conducive, but locals are still anxious. They want the police to retract all the Mobile Brigade officers,” said Frans Bobii, a respected Tigi resident.
Father John Jonga, who won the Yap Thiam Hien Award in 2011 for his dedication to fighting for the rights of Papuans, said the police must conduct a credible and transparent investigation into the shooting, especially since it had garnered attention from the international community.
“Human rights violations keep recurring. This demonstrates the government’s lack of commitment,” he said in East Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, on Tuesday.
Despite Jokowi’s commitment to boosting economic development and accelerating infrastructure in Papua and West Papua, violent conflicts remain rampant — many of them are deadly.
At least seven shooting cases have been reported in the provinces this year, all of which are still unresolved.
In February, two ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers were shot dead by unknown assailants in Puncak Jaya regency. A month later, a clash between two military officers and an armed civilian group led to the deaths of one soldier and one combatant.
The National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM).has condemned the shooting and urged Jokowi to ensure the case is resolved as soon as possible.
“Whoever the perpetrators are, whatever their motives, they must be held accountable,” Komnas HAM commissioner Maneger Nasution said in a statement.
On Wednesday, the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) stated it had recorded 115 cases of physical abuse allegedly committed by police personnel against civilians June 2016 to May 2017.
Markus Makur contributed to the story from East Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara.
