KontraS Asks The Government To Evaluate Military Forces In Papua

TGPF Intan Jaya / DOK.via BETWEEN

JAKARTA - The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) requested that the shooting incident that took place in Intan Jaya and killed a number of civilians and TNI soldiers, including Pastor Yeremia, would become a momentum for the government to evaluate the presence of the military in Papua.

This was conveyed by KontraS in response to the findings of the Intan Jaya Fact Finding Team (TGPF) announced by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, Wednesday, October 21.

"We encourage this incident to be made. We emphasize that the government, both the DPR, conducts an evaluation process regarding the presence of the military in Papua," said Head of the Human Rights Defense Division of KontraS Arif Nur Fikri in an online press conference, Thursday, October 22.

This evaluation, he continued, also needs to be carried out considering the intensity of cases of violence in Papua from year to year continues to increase without any process or evaluation.

"We only see that the evaluation process has revealed only the success of the security forces in overcoming armed civilian groups," he said.

"But the government or the DPR did not fully see when there were cases of violence that had an impact on the Papuan people. At least this momentum is an evaluation process from the government and the DPR to see the presence of the military in Papua.

Previously, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD had received the results of the investigation by the Intan Jaya Joint Fact Finding Team (TGPF). From the results of the investigation from October 2 to October 17, it was concluded that the shooting incident that killed a priest, Yeremia Zanambani in Hitadipa District, Intan Jaya Regency, Papua, allegedly involved apparatus.

"Regarding the killing of Pastor Yeremia Zanambani on September 19, 2020, the information and facts obtained by the team in the field indicate the alleged involvement of elements of the apparatus," Mahfud said during a press conference at the Kemenkopolhukam Office, Wednesday, October 21.

However, regarding the shooting, said Mahfud, this was allegedly carried out by a third party. After the government received the results from TGPF Intan Jaya, Mahfud said, this case would be resolved in accordance with the applicable legal regulations.

"Both criminal law and state administrative law as far as criminal acts in the form of violence and / or murder are concerned. The government asks the National Police and the Attorney to settle in accordance with applicable law indiscriminately," said the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK).

Apart from the shooting case that killed Pastor Yeremia, TGPF also reported the results of the investigation into three other cases of violence. Based on the findings of the investigation team led by Kompolnas Daily Chairperson Benny Mamoto, the Armed Criminal Group (KKB) is the party responsible for the deaths of two TNI members Serka Sahlan and Pratu Dwi Akbar Utomo and a civilian named Badawi.