TEMPO, Friday, 03 September, 2004 | 22:45 WIB
National
Human Rights Commission Indicates Serious Human Rights
Offenses in Papua
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas
HAM) plenary meeting approved the investigation result of an ad hoc team on serious
human rights offenses in Wasior and Wamena, Papua, on Thursday (02/09).
The chairman of the ad hoc team, Enny Suprapto, said that the meeting had indicated
serious human rights violations in the two cases.
Komnas HAM chairman Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara said he suspected that the
National Police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) have been involved in the two
incidents.
"National Police personnel are alleged to have been involved in the Wasior case.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel are alleged to have been involved in the
Wamena case," said Nusantara.
The investigation results of this ad hoc team are to be delivered to the Attorney
General's Office (AGO).
"This Friday (03/09), we will send the results of this investigation to the AGO. We
hope the AGO will review this case and follow up the investigation results by
conducting its own investigation and legal process," said Nusantara.
The Wasior incident began with the murder of five police mobile brigade officers and a
civilian in Wondiboi village, Wasior regency, Papua.
Manokwari Police deployed its personnel to evacuate the bodies and investigate the
murders.
However, in the process of evacuation and investigation, local residents who were
suspected to be involved in the murder case are assumed to have been tortured by
the police.
The Wamena incident took place in 2003.
Several people had broken into the arms warehouse of Indonesian Military (TNI)
Military Command/1702 Wamena and carried away 29 firearms and 3,500 rounds of
ammunition.
Two TNI officers and one of the thieves were killed in the incident.
The TNI military command/1702/JWY then requested additional personnel, consisting
of 158 soldiers from the Army's Special Force and Army's Strategic Command, to
search for the perpetrators.
In the search, the authorities are alleged to have arrested, tortured, shot and murdered
local civilians.
The soldiers are also alleged to have burnt civilians' residences, churches, health
clinics, and schools and forced local residents to flee the area.
"In Wasior, four people were killed, 39 others were tortured, one was raped and five
others were missing in Manokwari, Nabire and Serui, Papua," said Nusantara. In the
Wamena incident, nine people were killed, 38 were tortured, 15 were looted and
residents from 25 villages had to be removed by force. In the refugee camp, 42 of
these residents died. (Sutarto-Tempo News Room)
copyright TEMPO 2003
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