Indonesian military and police called upon to restore calm

Indonesian military and police called upon to restore calm to Kamuu Valley

West Papuan People’s United Struggle Front (WPPUSF) – National Executive (Eknas Front Pepera PB)

Press Release

In the aftermath of the bloody tragedy that began on April 13 2011, the people of Dogiyai Regency have fled their homes. On April 13 and 14, TNI (Indonesian Military) and POLRI (Police) units killed two local civilians (Dominikus Auwe and Aloisius Waine) and left three others in critical condition (Otin Yobe, Matias Iyai and Albert Pigai).

According to information obtained on April 15, joint Military/Police operations have combed several villages in Dogiyai, razing at least ten homes and destroying crops and livestock. In an ongoing situation of effective all-day curfew in Moanemani, the capital town of Dogiyai, it is difficult to gather information about these incidents and it is therefore still impossible to confirm the exact number of people who have been killed as a result of these Military/Police sweepings.

Military and Police troops with full combat weaponry continue to be deployed to Dogiyai Regency from surrounding regencies, including Deiyai, Nabire, Paniai and Timika; meanwhile Papua Provincial Police headquarters in Jayapura sent a platoon (two trucks) of troops on Sunday April 17.

Constant troop convoys are running between Moanemani and Paniai in a show of force on the part of the Indonesian Military and Police while villages surrounding Moanemani are combed by the troops. Moanemani and surrounding districts are quiet, with the local population in hiding. All government activities have ceased, including schooling. Not a single person can be seen in Moanemani, save for soldiers and Brimob (Police Mobile Brigade) officers firing their weapons into the air.

All local civilians have fled to villages in nearby regencies, and many have sought refuge in the forest. As a result, local people are suffering starvation and sickness that has led to several deaths, including that of eight-year old Detianus Goo who had escaped into hiding with his mother. This child, from Putapa Village, Kamu Selatan District, Dogiyai Regency, died on April 16 at 9 AM (Papua time). Besides him, Rosia Goo, a 40-year old woman who fled from Mauwa to Udekebo to seek safety, died in Udekebo on April 16.

Meanwhile, residents of Kimupugi and Ikebo whose physical conditions of old age or disability prevented them from fleeing have been in a severe state of torment, under threat of police violence. Local Police threatened to attack homes if the weapons seized by residents were not returned by April 18 2011.

This drastic situation began to be rectified when the DPRP’s (Papua Provincial Legislature) Join Team, led by Commission A head Ruben Magai, travelled to Dogiyai on April 18 2011 and conducted meetings with local government leaders including Papua Police Special Team as well civil society representatives in Moanemani on Tuesday April 19 between 9 AM and 2:30 PM at the Regent’s (Bupati’s) office. During this meeting, the DPRP Joint Team asked all parties, including local communities as well as Military and Police to maintain security, refrain from selling and consuming alcohol and gambling.

Meanwhile, local community representatives asked Papua Police and the Cenderawasih Division Military Commander to immediately pull all troops out of Dogiyai Regency, including “organic” (locally-based) and “non-organic” (deployed from other regional bases) troops. They demanded that the local police chief be the only state officer permitted to carry a firearm, and offered to gather and return all weapons stolen by local civilians to the President as these weapons are the tools of the State, however they asked to meet the Papua Provincial Police Chief first.

This meeting in Moanemani ended after some commitments were agreed upon, including: 1) to return a sense of security to the local population of Kamuu, Dogiyai; 2) all Military and Police units to be pulled out; 3) all local economic and administrative activities to be resumed; 4) stolen weapons to be returned to the President, with DPRP as well as DPRD (Regency Legislature) asked to facilitate the transfer.

The DPRP Joint Team, led by the Commission A head accompanied by various DPRP members, Papua Human Rights Commission Vice-Head Matius Murib and Church representative Yones Douw (Coordinator of Justice and Peace for the Synod of Kingmi Papua Church), as well as student and youth envoys, began yesterday afternoon to circulate around the Kamuu Valley, asking local residents to return from their refuges in nearby forests and villages.

Today, regular local activities began to return to normal. Still, the security situation has yet to fully return to normal given that the arbitrary violent sweepings by Security Forces over the past days have left local communities with severe trauma.

To respond to the current situation in Dogiyai Regency, we urge the following actions to be taken:

1. Military and Police immediately restore a sense of safety to the local population of Kamuu Valley, Dogiyai Regency;

2. Immediately pull all Military and Police troops out of Kamuu Valley so as to allow local people to feel secure;

3. Heads of Security Forces at the Provincial and Central (Jakarta) level, especially Papua Police Chief and the President of the Republic of Indonesia immediately accept responsibility for the deaths of two civilians who were shot to death (Dominikus Auwe and Aloysiuis Waine) as well as shooting victims (Matias Iyai, Albert Pigai and Otin Yobe) who are in critical condition at Nabire Hospital;

4. President of the Republic of Indonesia immediately replace all troops currently deployed from the District to the Provincial Level in the Land of Papua;

5. Gambling managers disciplined firmly and the perpetrators of the shootings of civilians fired and punished according to the law;

6. Dogiyai Regency Government and Papua Province Governor accept responsibility for material destruction (homes, crops, etc);

7. Provincial Government and DPRP in the Land of Papua immediately issue a Provincial Ruling banning illicit alcohol, gambling, bars and casinos in the Land of Papua so as to preserve security, order, morals and faith in humanity.

That is our press release, expressed with full sincerity in the hopes of immediate follow-up action by relevant actors.

Port Numbay: Wednesday, April 20 2011/

“Unity Without Limits, Struggle Until Victory”

*SELPIUS BOBII*

(Public Head, WPPUSF (Front PEPERA PB))

ENDS

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