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View all search resultsGovt to establish team to probe recent killings in Papua
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T
he government will establish a joint team involving officials and members of the public to probe the recent killings in Papua’s Intan Jaya regency, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD said on Thursday.
Mahfud added that the team’s members would include government officials, academics as well as religious, community and customary leaders. The team would report its findings to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo through the coordinating minister.
“The government will form [this] joint investigation team that can be more objective in exploring [the killings], so as not to cause controversy,” Mahfud said during a press conference on Thursday.
In the last few weeks, authorities and the press have reported several killings in the regency. Mahfud confirmed the deaths of one pastor, one civilian and two Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel, saying that an armed criminal group (KKB) was responsible.
The Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) has alleged that the slain pastor, Yeremia Zanambani, was killed by a TNI soldier. The military has denied that.
Mahfud also called on the police to continue investigating the cases. “We have ordered the police to continue to uncover these cases in a professional manner following the applicable law.”
Mahfud also commented on the recent United Nations General Assembly, where Vanuatu Prime Minister Bob Loughman said that Jakarta had been selective in addressing alleged human rights violations in Papua and West Papua while abuses continue in the country’s easternmost region.
