Wasior, Jubi – Survivors and families of victims of the 2001 Bloody Wasior tragedy in Wondama Bay Regency, West Papua, demanded the government’s accountability for the suffering and losses they have experienced since the case.
They conveyed their demands to the Non-Judicial Settlement Team for Past Gross Human Rights Violations formed by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, which was visiting Wasior over the past few days.
While in Wasior, the team led by Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Kiki Syahnakri conducted hearings and interviews with a number of survivors and families of victims of the Bloody Wasior.
On Friday, November 4, 2022, the team held a focus group discussion with the Wondama Bay Administration at the Sasana Karya Hall, Wondama Bay Regent’s Office complex in Isei.
Papua Manokwari University academician Agus Sumule, who is a member of the team, said the victims asked the state to compensate their loss by replacing the houses that were burned down in the incident 21 years ago and appointing their children and grandchildren as civil servants.
“The survivors and their families asked for jobs for their children who have not been able to go to school,” said Agus Sumule in Wasior on Saturday, November 5, 2022, as quoted by Antara.
Agus Sumule said the victims also asked the government to pay customary fines in cash for the deaths and physical suffering experienced by local residents.
“They also asked for a guarantee of education for their children and asked for an explanation of why they were the target of the operation despite many of them were actually not involved and did not know anything about the killing of five mobile brigade members and the disappearance of six firearms in Wondiboi Village, which started the incident,” said Agus.
Some of the victims and their families asked for the judicial process to continue.
The talks and interviews with victims and their families have confirmed the report issued by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) regarding the Wasior incident.
“We confirmed the series of events and data on victims, as well as finding new data that were not in the Komnas HAM report,” Agus said.
Deputy Regent of Wondama Bay Andarias Kayukatuy hopes that the findings and recommendations that will be issued by the team can provide relief to the victims and families of victims of the Bloody Wasior.
“So far, NGOs and government agencies have repeatedly come to meet with the victims but there has never been any follow-up. Therefore, we put our hope once again in this team. So please answer to our hope, especially the hope of the families of the victims,” he said. (*)
