FILE PHOTO: Papuan students stage a demonstration on Dec. 1, 2024, demanding the right to independence for West Papua in Yogyakarta. - AFP
JAKARTA: Calls for a transparent investigation are growing after one person was killed and another shot during a crackdown on protests sparked by the controversial decision to transfer the treason trial of four Papuan political prisoners.
Maikel Welerubun, 22, was shot during a heated protest on Wednesday, August 27, on Jalan Jenderal Sudirman in Sorong, Southwest Papua. According to his family, Maikel, a motorbike taxi driver, was not participating in the protest but had stopped to observe the situation.
A bullet entered through his left arm and lodged in his chest, injuring nerves in his arm and damaging his intestines, spleen and lungs. He is currently being treated at Sele Be Solu Regional General Hospital and is scheduled to undergo surgery.
His family has filed a report with the Sorong Police, demanding an explanation for the use of live ammunition to disperse protesters and accountability for the officer responsible for shooting Maikel.
A day later, 55-year-old Septinus Sesa died during a similar protest in Manokwari, West Papua, some 520 kilometres from Sorong. He allegedly inhaled a lethal amount of tear gas fired by police while dispersing demonstrators. Septinus, like Maikel, was not a protester but a local resident who lived near the protest site.
Usman Hamid, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, strongly condemned the authorities' excessive use of force against protesters and demanded a thorough investigation into the shooting of Maikel and the death of Septinus.
“The investigation must be independent and led by respected figures from civil society who demonstrate both integrity and expertise in handling such cases. The government must also fully cooperate with the National Commission on Human Rights [Komnas HAM] to ensure those responsible are brought to justice,” Usman stated on Wednesday (Sept 3).
“No one should lose their life or be harmed simply for participating in a demonstration, or even for merely witnessing a public protest,” he emphasised. Usman called on authorities to adopt a measured approach centered on persuasion and dialogue when dealing with protesters.
He warned that continued reliance on excessive force will only deepen tensions and hinder efforts to resolve the long-standing conflict in Papua.
On Tuesday, a group of students gathered in front of the Sorong Regional Representative Council building to demand a thorough and transparent investigation into the incidents. Angky Dimara, Chairperson of the Sorong branch of the Indonesian National Student Movement, strongly condemned the use of live ammunition by security forces against protestors, describing it as a grave human rights violation.“The primary perpetrators behind the shootings must be swiftly and thoroughly investigated,” he said during the rally as quoted by Tribunnews.com.
Frits Ramandey, Head of the Papua Office of Komnas HAM, said that his team has launched an independent investigation into the alleged excessive use of force against protesters in Manokwari and Sorong.
“Our initial focus is on gathering testimonies from demonstrators who were reportedly injured during the security forces’ response to the protests. We also plan to interview the shooting victim, however, since he is currently undergoing surgery, we have yet to take his statement,” Frits said, as quoted by Kompas.id.
Authorities from both the West Papua Police and the Southwest Papua Police have stated that they are investigating the shooting of Maikel and the death of Septinus.
The unrest in Sorong and Manokwari was triggered by the controversial decision to transfer the court proceedings of four Sorong residents accused of treason to the Makassar District Court in South Sulawesi, citing alleged “safety concerns.”
The four individuals, who claimed to be members of the West Papua Federal Republic, a separatist movement established in 2011, were arrested in April after sending a letter to the Governor of West Papua. In the letter, they demanded a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto to address the prolonged armed conflict and separatist tensions in Papua.
They face charges under Article 110 of the Criminal Code on treason, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
