Attacked By KKB With Machetes And Pistols, Task Force Evacuates 23 Workers Of The Central Papua Omukia Health Center

Evacuation of 23 construction workers at the Omukia Health Center, Eromaga District, Puncak Regency, Central Papua to Timika, Friday (20/10). (ANTARA/HO/Humas Polda Papua)

Head of the Cartenz Peaceful Public Relations Task Force AKBP Bayu Suseno stated that as many as 23 workers from the Omukia Health Center, Eromaga District, Puncak Regency, Central Papua who were victims of the KKB attack were evacuated to Timika. "It is true that the victims have been evacuated, both the bodies, the survivors and those who were injured using two planes," he said in Jayapura, as reported by Antara, Friday, October 20. According to him, currently the bodies and all the construction workers are in Timika and gathering with their relatives. The workers were attacked at the construction site of the Omukia Health Center, Eromaga District, Puncak Regency, Thursday, October 19, killing a worker, Otto (37). Apart from being killed by workers, the incident also resulted in two injuries, namely Marinus (37) and Erwin Barapadang (52). "The plan is that on Saturday tomorrow Otto's body will be flown to Makassar, and then buried in his hometown in Toraja," said Bayu Suseno. Martinus Bala, one of the victims who suffered an injury to the hand, admitted that the KKB suddenly came to attack while they were in a tent carrying sharp weapons in the form of machetes and arrows and someone was carrying a gun.

"As soon as the KKB members fired their weapons we immediately ran away, I didn't even know when the finger had been cut off and bleeding," said Martinus Bala.