Jayapura, Jubi – The West Papua National Liberation Army says they have shot dead ten people and injured two people they considered enemies in Nogolait Village, Kenyam District, Nduga Regency, on Saturday, July 16, 2022.
According to the TPNPB commander of Ndugama Derakma, Egianus Kogoya, the attack started when a Papuan civilian recorded his men raising the Morning Star flag.
“On July 16, TPNPB Ndugama Derakma entered Kenyam. At 08.30 a.m, we raised the Morning Star flag at Nogolaid. From the truck, we saw a civilian stealthily taking pictures and videos. We suspected him of being a spy, so we shot him dead,” Kogoya said in a written statement received by Jubi on Monday, July 18, 2022.
After shooting the victim, Kogoya said, his group opened fire on five people who were guarding stalls along the road. Kogoya accuses the stall keepers of spying on his group and possessing a gun.
Not long after, a truck passed at the scene. “We held it and checked on it. It turned out there were four people ducking down in the truck, making us suspicious so we shot the four of them. We think they are spies,” said Kogoya.
Egianus Kogoya’s group also shot another truck driver who was also passing by the location, and another civilian who passed by on the road. “In total, we shot 12 people, one of which is a Papuan because he took the video. Of the 12 people, ten people died and two people were injured,” he said.
He declared his group would kill anyone they suspected of being a spy. “Whoever they are, be it civilians, employees, workers, whether it’s Papuans or non-Papuans, we will not compromise. We will kill everyone that hinders Papuan independence,” he said.
Meanwhile, Papua Police director of the General Criminal Investigation Sr. Comr. Faizal Ramadhani said that security forces on Monday conducted a search and found one more body at the site of the attack by Kogoya’s group. “We will evacuate another body, the security forces are on their way,” said Faizal in Jayapura City. (*)
