Papuan lawmaker wants police chief fired for shooting deaths

Wednesday, 20 April 2011, 9:23 am
Article: Pacific Media Centre

Papuan lawmaker wants police chief fired over two shooting deaths

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Banjir Ambarita in Jayapura

A Papuan legislator has called for the firing of the provincial police chief following two people being shot dead in Dogyai district in Indonesian-ruled West Papua this week.

Ruben Magai, a Democratic Party lawmaker at the Papua Legislative Council (DPRD), said on Friday that the Papua police chief should be held accountable for his men opening fire on civilians with live rounds on Wednesday.

“The police continue to take a brutal and trigger-happy line against the Papuan people,” he said.

“This shameful incident only adds to the long list of human rights violations by the authorities here.”

The police said they were forced to open fire after rioters attacked the Moenamani subdistrict police station in retaliation for an earlier raid on an illegal gambling den. Two civilians were killed and three others injured.

However, officials from the Kingmi Church said there was never any raid. They claimed officers shook down two people for money, one of whom, Dominikus Auwe, was selling tickets for togel , a popular lottery-like gambling game.

Dominikus then went to the police station with three others to demand his money back.

Shot point-blank
“The police shot him point-blank in the chest and head, killing him on the spot,” said Yones Douw, the church’s peace and justice coordinator.

He said police then shot two and wounded others, Albertus Pigai and Vince Yobe. A riot later broke out and the police station was attacked but no one was injured in that incident.

In response, a Mobile Brigade (Brimob) unit was deployed to the area. The next day, a man was found dead with a gunshot wound to the chest, while another was wounded in the arm and leg.

Yones alleged the police had shaken down Dominikus to protect Made, a rival togel dealer from Bali.

“Made was the one who started the togel racket here last year, but because the police get a cut of his action, they protect him and crack down on his competition,” Yones said.

Workers from Freeport-McMoran Copper and Gold Inc's gold mine striking in front of the local parliament in Timika, Papua, on Friday. Two workers were killed at the mine. Photo: Antara

Meanwhile, Papua’s Freeport zone was earlier a “target of terror” as unknown gunmen aimed fire at the mining area of PT Freeport Tembagapura on April 5.

The shooting took place as a Toyota LWB was heading back toward Kali Kopi in mile 37 from TRMP office at mile 39. Suddenly, the car was gunned down by unindentified shooters.

Both the driver, Abdul Simanjuntak, and Agus Patah, sitting next to the driver’s seat, were wounded.

The following day two mine workers died in a blazing car, sparking protests in the local parliament.
Banjir Ambarita is a reporter for the Jakarta Globe.

Pacific Media Centre
http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2011/04/papuan-lawmaker-wants-police-chief-fired-after-two-people-shot-dead/

ENDS

© Scoop Media