KNPB on the recent acts of violence in Papua

Bintang Papua, 6 September

According to the KNPB - National Committee for West Papua - the many
acts of violence that have been occurring in Papua recently would appear
to be part of a scenario designed by certain quarters.'

'This scenario is being promoted by people who want to get their hands
on funding. These acts of terror or intimidation are aimed at warning
Papuans not to go on pressing for their human rights.,' said Mako Tabuni
of the KNPB, speaking alongside Buchtar Tabuni, the general chairman of
the KNPB, as well as Viktor Kogoya, during a press conference at the
Prime Garden, Abepura on 6 September.

They said that the KNPB would not be influenced by these incidents. 'We,
as the voice of the Papuan people, will continue to speak up for the
human rights which are the true aspirations of the people of West
Papua,' said Mako Tabuni.

On this occasion too, he said, the fifteen arrests were made by joint
patrols of the Indonesian army and police (TNI/Polri) of fifteen Papuans
(thirteen have since been released ). They were detained by members of
the police force in Jayapura. The arrested men are all members of the
Wahno Baptist congregation which is located in south Jayapura. He also
said that the arrests were made to the accompaniment of acts of
violence, and moreover, the correct procedures were not complied with.

The arrests were made in the village of Nafri on 1 August because those
in authority had not been able to arrest the real culprits who had
committed the acts of violence.

He also said that a nine-year old boy, Dessy Koyoga, had disappeared
from the home of Biben Kogoya, the local sub-district chief, at the
time of the arrest of the fifteen people.

'There are indications that the boy was kidnapped by the security forces
involved in the arrests. The parents of the boy are still searching for
their young son.'

The KNPB say that a special team should be set up by the DPRP (the
local legislative assembly) along with those NGOs which have
responsibility for undertaking investigations so that the true facts
about this case can be made known.

ENDS

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