Jayapura, Jubi – The Papua Law Enforcement and Human Rights Coalition revealed that of the nine residents who were victims of shootings by security forces in Kepi, the capital of Mappi Regency on December 14, 2022, six of them were students. The six victims are still undergoing treatment for their gunshot wounds.
Helmi, a member of the Coalition said there were elementary, junior high and high school students among the victims, namely Kaspar Khani Yebo (Inpres Kabe Elementary School), Wilhemus Jeji Samogi (Menyamur 1 Junior High School), Fredirandus Boy (YPPK Yohanis Paulus 1 Kepi Junior High), Sabinus Sokmi Sedap (Obaa 1 High School), Rexon Ya A Pasim (Obaa 1 High School), and Yohanis T Sedap (Obaa 2 Vocational School).
Helmi said that the six students were currently being treated as outpatients. According to Helmi, the victims refused to be hospitalized because they were always visited by the police.
“Every week they go to the hospital to treat their wounds and take medicine. They are also still in shock and traumatized,” he said.
The results of the Coalition’s investigation, which was carried out from December 17-20, concluded there was a stabbing incident by a resident against another resident named Martinus. However, the Coalition denied that there was a clash between residents that followed the stabbing.
With these findings, the Coalition denied the Papua Police’s version that the shooting of civilians occurred because security forces were attacked while breaking up clashes between residents.
The Coalition’s findings differed from the information conveyed by the Liaison Officer of the South Papua Police, Sr. Comr. Erick K Sully, who said the shooting was triggered by an attack on security forces who broke up a clash between two groups of residents under the influence of alcoholic beverages.
Helmi said the Coalition had been authorized by the victim to take legal action over the shooting incident in Mappi. The Coalition has assisted Kosmas Yameap, brother of the dead victim Moses Erro, to make a police report at the Mappi Police over the incident. The Coalition also accompanied the victim Rexon Ya A Pasim to report the incident to the Mappi Police.
“This is so that the police investigate who the perpetrators were in the shooting and whether the situation at the time was under control or not. Was there a dangerous incident before the shooting or not,” he said.
In a written press statement on Friday, the Papua Law Enforcement and Human Rights Coalition urged the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) to conduct an investigation into the shooting of Mappi civilians on December 14, 2022. Komnas HAM RI was also asked to investigate the alleged involvement of Indonesian Military (TNI) and Police in the shooting that killed one and injured eight Mappi residents including students.
The Coalition also suggested that peace efforts made between the victims of the stabbing and the perpetrators be separated from the investigation of the shooting of nine civilians as the two are different cases.
The Coalition urged that the legal process related to Mappi shooting must be carried out professionally in order to ensure a fair trial against the perpetrator and prevent impunity. They hoped that any assistance provided to the shooting victims was not a strategy to silence the victims who demand justice. (*)
