by Nick Chesterfield at westpapuamedia.info - November 5, 2011 Indonesian army (TNI) commandos have terrorised and severely beat villagers in Kurulu District in Puncak Jaya in another show of extreme brutality against West Papuan civilians.
Soldiers from the Kostrad (Strategic Reserve) Battalion 755 stationed at the Kurulu army post stormed the village of Umpagalo, near Wamena, on the night of November 2, breaking up a meeting and severely beating 12 men, including 3 West Papua National Committee (KNPB) members.
This comes after a series of violent events across Papua in recent months, and just hours before a horrific attack on a student in nearby Wamena town, when Yusuf Hiluka (23) was set alight with glue by two officers from Satpol PP (Satuan Polisi Pamong Praja), the district civil security unit.
According to local activists from KNPB, in a chronology provided to West Papua Media, villagers were holding a peaceful gathering and discussions about local tribal and community issues, and the elections to be held for the Hubulu area Tribal Council (DAP or Dewan Adat Papua).
Local human rights sources claimed that the attack happened after a Kurulu villager, who reportedly drank and gambled with members of the pro-Jakarta militia Barisan Merah Putih, falsely reported to soldiers that a squad of TPN/OPM guerrillas were in the village. From the Area Security post a platoon of Kostrad troops, an elite Commando unit from Jakarta, descended on the village in full battle gear and proceeded to terrorise villagers by opening fire with machine guns as they arrived.
From 11pm local time Kostrad soldiers rounded up and tied all the elders and young men, according human rights sources, and subjected them to a humiliating torture and beating in front of their wives and children. Then men were beaten with rifle butts to the head, and whipped across their face and backs using rattan canes. Soldiers then proceeded to “stampede” on the detained villagers, according to the chronology, telling the victims when holding bayonets to their throats “”watch out, your neck will Decide”. Women in the village were also hit on their heads by the soldiers, according to the witnesses.
Indon Commando Btn 755 brutalise Puncak Jaya villagers from westpapuamedia on Vimeo.
It is also alleged by local human rights sources that the soldiers opened fire at least four times, shooting into the air, and also stabbed four people with bayonets. Furthermore, the sources allege that some victims were tortured by being hung by a hook for 2 hours, and then immersed in water for one hour. After this torture, victims were allegedly taken to 755 Battalion branch Kurulu Wimanesili Wamena for 2 hours. The exact identity of those particular victims have not yet been provided.
Melianus Wantik, Edo Doga, Mark Walilo from KNPB Wamena, and Pilipus Wantik, Kosy Wilem, Elius Dabi, Lamber Dabi, Othi Logo, Nilik Hiluka, Hukum Logo, Martinus Mabel and Saulus Logo, all from the Umpagalo village., all were injured by the TNI operation at the village.
Photographs supplied to West Papua Media and Tapol appear to show significant beating injuries, and several deep tissue injuries caused by Indonesian troops.
As the soldiers left around 2am, villagers dispersed to the police station in Kurulu and summoned help from the Indonesian police, who refused to assist. Local human rights sources allege that the TNI performed the operation andconducted arrests without a formal letter of Command authorisation and was therefore illegal, and by torturing acted illegally and inhumanely. Torture is an offence under Indonesian law, however it is rarely punished when carried out by security forces.
westpapuamedia.info
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Anti-independence attack on town of Abepura on 19 October
From a report by the Catholic Justice & Peace Commission, Brisbane
Stop the Violence in West Papua
An example of five decades of appalling violence perpetrated on West Papuans by Indonesian troops occurred on 19 October in the town of Abepura, when a number of unarmed Papuans were killed.
About 90 minutes after the Third Papua People’s Congress had concluded on the Zakheus Field, Indonesian security forces unleashed an onslought on unarmed civilians participating in post-Congress festivities.
The Zakheus Field is in the grounds of a compound which includes the Fajar Timur School of Philosophy and Theology, the Sang Surya Franciscan Friary, the John Maria Vianey Diocesan Seminary, the Yerusalem Baru Inter-Diocesan Seminary and associated student dormitories and staff residences.
The violent attack was a delayed response to the reading of a declaration of independence and the appointment of a President and Prime Minister at the end of the Congress.
Reliable sources indicate that security forces dragged Edison Waromi, one of the independence leaders, out of his car as he was leaving the compound while others started firing shots into the crowd still celebrating on the field.
Police and soldiers also pursued people fleeing from the shooting and fired shots and tear gas into the nearby Friary, seminaries, theological school and dormitories. They stormed and ransacked the buildings and assaulted and terrorised many of the occupants.
Some of the independence leaders, who were resting in the Friary, were assaulted and arrested during the raid.
Six independence leaders are still detained by the police. It is reported that they were badly beaten. One of the brothers in the compound was also badly beaten and was hospitalised to treat a fractured hand and head injuries.
The friars, staff and students who live and work in the compound are deeply traumatised by these events.
Citizens everywhere in the region are immensely frightened.
This horrifying violence by Indonesian security forces in West Papua is part of a long line of frequent assaults and killings. Leaders of civil society, church leaders, human rights defenders, union leaders and civilians are the victims of this reign of terror which has lasted for most of the last five decades.
The people of West Papua live in a constant state of fear as Indonesian security forces commit these acts of brutality with almost total impunity.
Church leaders in West Papua have called for action to investigate human rights abuses by security forces. They have also called for dialogue between the Indonesian Government in Jakarta and the leaders of the Papuan people to resolve conflict and to bring about peace.
West Papua was a Dutch colony until the 1960s when the United Nations supervised a handover of the territory to Indonesia. Representatives of the Papuan people were given an opportunity to vote for or against integration into Indonesia in a so-called “act of free choice” in 1969.
These representatives agreed, but many claim the process was a sham because the outcome was achieved after several years of military intimidation. To this day, many Papuans continue to express their opposition to integration.
The Indonesian Government has always maintained a large military presence in the region to suppress the activity of political resistance and independence movements. The people of West Papua have faced much brutal violence and intimidation at the hands of these security forces.
Christians in Australia are urged to show their solidarity with the
people of West Papua by:
o Praying on one or more of the Sundays in November or December for dialogue and action leading to peace and justice for the people of West Papua
o Sending messages of support and solidarity to Church leaders in West Papua
o Contacting the Prime Minister, the Foreign Affairs Minister, MPs and Senators to urge them to take decisive and urgent steps to promote peace and respect for human rights in West Papua
Messages of Support
You can send messages of support to the Church in West Papua by e-mailing:
Fr Neles Tebay: tebayn@yahoo.com Fr Gabriel Ngga: gabyofm@gmail.com
Australian Government Action
Australia regards Indonesia as a good friend. We provide Indonesia with both development and military aid. This includes providing military training to the Indonesian Army which is responsible for this outrageous violence.
You can write letters or send e-mails to the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and the Foreign Affairs Minister, Kevin Rudd, calling on the Australian Government to take strong action to end the military violence in West Papua at the following addresses:
The Hon Julia Gillard MP
Prime Minister
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
E-mail form: http://www.pm.gov.au/contact-your-pm
The Hon Kevin Rudd MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
Kevin.rudd@dfat.gov.au
You can find the postal and e-mail addresses for your local MP and your State Senators at http://www.aph.gov.au/whoswho/index.htm
If you need any more information or help in your efforts to support the people of West Papua, please contact the Catholic Justice & Peace Commission of Brisbane, GPO Box 282, BRISBANE QLD 4001, (07) 3336 9173 or arndtp@bne.catholic.net.au