Jayapura, Jubi – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) continues to trace various cases similar to the murder and mutilation case in Mimika Regency on August 22, 2022. The search was conducted to find similarities in the modus operandi of the killing of Indigenous Papuans.
Komnas HAM suspected that the Mimika case was not the perpetrators’ first crime. “If we look at the pattern of the incident, it is strongly indicated that this is not the first time. Just wait, we will reveal it to the public,” said Komnas HAM commissioner Mohammad Choirul Anam in Jayapura City on Thursday, September 29, 2022.
Anam said the commission’s visit to Papua was not only to probe the murder and mutilation in Mimika and persecution that killed a civilian in Mappi, but also to explore various other cases of violence that have occurred in Papua.
He asked the public to be patient and let the commission’s team do the work. “We are still investigating, please be patient because we will definitely convey it to the public,” Anam said.
Meanwhile, on the Mimika murder, Komnas HAM RI asked the Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander to evaluate the unit of Raider 20/Ima Jaya Keramo Infantry Brigade based in Timika, the capital of Mimika Regency. This is because Komnas HAM found that soldiers of the unit were involved in the firearms and ammunition trade.
“There are also assembled weapons. Therefore, we ask for an evaluation, why do [violations or crimes] by TNI members continue to occur?” he said.
Komnas HAM believes that the TNI Commander, Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army (KSAD), and Commander of the Army Strategic Reserve Command (Pangkostrad) want a professional TNI that focuses only on defense and security.
“We sense such a commitment very strongly from the TNI Commander but unfortunately violations still occur on the ground. Hence, an evaluation is urgently needed,” he said. (*)
